A 4-speed can be just as quick as an auto if you can drive it. I see alot of stick cars with not so good drivers. The auto is much easier to drive and not as hard on the drivetrain. I used to bracket race a 340 four speed Dart and I loved driving it. Ran 11.94 @ 112 best. It was fun banging gears and to me you need to make your stick car sound like an auto shifting if you know how to drive it. But my auto in my 63 is much easier on the drivetrain. I cant imagine how good the drivetrain needs to be on 10 second and faster stick cars. Ron