i raced my carbon s-works stumjumper in the first cross race of the season...upon a dismount, the cleat on my shoe chipped the paint down to the carbon.
was it fine? yes.
did i sweat it? yes.
would i have even thought twice if it was a steel or alum frame? no.
bottom line is, i've raced on the best -by my standards- ($6,100 carbon hardtail), and i keep coming back to metal frames.
they just make sense.