Yep, nobody in their right mind stands behind a jet car.
I did see a rocket car, at the original irwindale raceway, in the early seventies. They weren't as popular as the jet cars even though they were WAY faster. Jet cars can put on a flame show with burner pops and blowing trash (and blowing the christmas tree over. I wouldnt want to be the guy out there, holding the tree up!). A rocket is just pushed up to the starting line, staged, flip a switch, boom, gone.
The old irwindale had a couple story tower behind the starting line, sometimes people would sneak out and stand under the tower where tower personnel couldnt see them . When the rocket (dead silent of course!) got pushed up to the starting line, there were a few brave souls who wanted to get a good look. They were warned.
Then the rocket lit. Spectators doused with flaming hydrogen peroxide. Never seen anybody move so fast in my life.
