Cool. I think a lot of it has to do with where the pedals are in relation to one another and what works best for the particular driver, etc.

Some of the newer race cars have a computer controlled throttle that does all of this for the driver. The new BMW M3 has this feature. The gearbox is an electronically operated sequential box. You can hold the gas to the floor and just hit the "up" button. The computer operates the clutch, throttle and gear selection. Downshifting works the same way, with the computer adjusting engine RPM to match the lower gear. I'd love to get my hands on one of those...

Jim