I have seen several people driving a stick hard make a popping sound. I even sometimes made it when I first learned to drive a stick. Just because you're popping doesn't mean you dont know have to drive a stick, could be you're just making a mistake here and there. Or it could be something else completely. But since you're not setting off a CEL it does have more of a lean towards the poor driving arguement.

But you two really need to stop this banter or take it to PM. We dont need all this hostility or else this thread may get closed real soon.