[sammyg2]

I've had the fortune to be invited to the starting line once. Standing right between the top fuel cars, just a little further back than the starter and christmas tree.

When the cars took off, one left a little late and the pressure wave from the exhaust of the first car threw me off balance so I leaned one way and then got blown the other way until I nearly landed on my butt.
Of course they all got a big laugh out of it.
I don't believe safety regs would allow anyone to stand there today.

Mert littlefield told me a story of how one time a driver in a dragster hit the throttle before the car was staged and Mert was standing right next to it.
As the car went by him (but did not touch him) the exhaust ripped his shirt into two pieces with one part floating away and the other dangling off his wrist.

The amount of energy involved is very difficult to put into perspective.