Re: the 7AT debate, aside from the already-mentioned issues about drivetrain losses (the 6MT wins on that obviously), and the fact that the 6MT has a better stock rear-end ratio, one of the major reasons the 7AT does well among amateur drag racers on street tires is the fact that it has a Torque Convertor (like all ATs).
The presence of the torque convertor makes it much easier to get a smooth, fast launch compared to the intricacies of launching a 6MT. The torque convertor multiplies the engine's torque to the wheels (sort of like having a higher gear ratio in the rear end) dynamically when the engine speed exceeds the spin rate at the wheels temporarily during launch. You get less wheel slip and more immediate takeoff power.
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