I started in 1998, with sticks (cheapo Acoms Techniplus and Futaba Attack FTW!), used these until about 2001 when I decided I needed a computerised radio with adjustability and expo etc. Only options were a top-end FF3, 3VC or a Vantage 2, which were horrendous money, or something mid-range in wheel flavour.
I managed to nick a go on a mates Sanwa M8 and that got me hooked on wheels, and went from Hitec Lynx 3D (fine until it went out of tune!), KO Presto, Mars and then Helios. All were great but I was getting bored, and fancied a changeup. Got a bargain Vantage 3 from this forum earlier this year and have found that my laptimes haven't changed one bit (I'm still slow and cr4p), but it seems a tad easier to place the car on the track with sticks.
I was doing some meetings where I'd do a couple of classes, and had a stick radio for one heat, then the next one on the line had me running a wheel, so I've never had an issue of forgetting how to drive one or the other. I guess I'm multitalented.
Or not.
Most RTR cars from the States or the Far East come with wheel radios, so I think stick drivers are a dying breed. There's more than double the number of wheel radios to sticks on the market.