Originally Posted by Andy

Actually he's right, with an automatic, you never lift off the throttle so the turbo is never interupted. Also, when you reach a high enough horsepower level, the clutch has to be so powerful, it's basically an on/off switch that can't be slipped so it's worthless on the street and very hard to launch properly and consistantly. Automatic's are superior in these situations and a lot of professional non-import racers use a 2-speed automatic called a powerglide in sub 8 second cars. The reason most import racers use manual's is that Honda automatics aren't designed for and thus can't survive 600-700 hp being slammed through them. In reality, if it could survive the rigors of drag racing, an automatic car would be faster and more consistant than a manual.