The other thing to keep in mind is that in terms of drag cars, the fastest of the fastest of the fastest are almost exclusively automatics--often two speed powerglides, etc. manuals may be good for the autocross, but autos are king on the dragstrip (awaits "tuner" comments about "real cars" driving around corners...).
There's a lot more to choosing a tranny than just going "HUR HUR STICKS HUR HUR". Gear ratios within the tranny as well as rear axle gear and/or final drive ratios make a big difference.
For example a 700R4 has a steep 3.06 first gear, compared to a WC T-5 with a 2.95. People that know what they are doing choose the better transmission based on more factors. My Camaro is an auto, because the factory at that time only offered a five speed that was rated at 300 lb-ft of torque, pathetic considering the bone stock 350 in those years was putting out 345 lb-ft. Thus, the auto was the only tranny offered from the factory with the 350 because it was far stronger. So stronger transmission + better gear ratios = obvious choice. Now if it were a 5.0 Mustang with the crappy Ford AOD with the pathetic 2.46 first gear ratio, then yes, the 5 speed would be the better transmission and the better choice.
Both kinds of trannies have their place, so it's stupid and pointless to argue. If you're on the dragstrip, the fastest (I'm talking 11 second and faster, down into the 8 second zone) cars will almost all be autos exclusively because they shift much, much faster than you can (think about a BUILT automatic which the average person can't even imagine without having experienced one) and are much more consistent, whereas most cars on an SCCA track will be manuals. As for daily drivers, it just depends on what kind of car it is and what you prefer. Personally I could never see owning something like a crappy 122 hp FWD Nissan Cube as a daily beater and insisting it be a manual...what would be the point (again, my opinion)? Seems like more hassle than to just have an auto to get from point A to point B. Personally I would only want a manual in my weekend/summer toys, and only if it was actually a good manual or better than the automatic offering in the vehicle. Basically for me, if it's a daily driver, I'll stick with autos. If it's a weekend toy, I'll get whichever tranny is the better of the two looking comprehensively at the gearing and the whole package.
I've found over the last fifteen years that the only people who ever seem to argue one way or another are those who are truly clueless to anything beyond the shift lever itself.
