That sounds more like a synchro problem more than anything else. The thing you'll notice when you auto-x is that as your skills develop you may not really need the gear that you think you need.

Another thing to consider is that the transmission ratio change may move into a different class. For instance, my car, a '90 Civic hatch standard, is not eligable for the stock class because of the transmission (Si 5 spd) and wheel size (15 in).

Just my $.02.