Respectively, I can tell you I've lined up Aspens, and other cars that were 318 2bbl stick cars against other 318 2bbl auto's in lighter cars, and the stick won easily. In fact, I've never had a automatic beat a stick when low horsepower cars are in stock form mechanically. Be it Ford Fairlanes, Dodge Daytona's, slant 6's, etc, etc. But it's Stephens race, whatever he decides :) P.S. - It won't bog down, because you don't dump the clutch. You ride the clutch a bit