I don't believe he was getting a "push off" as these funny cars do a burnout then back up past the starting line and proceed from there. The driver then pulls forward and stops at the startng line to "stage." I believe that forward movement was what was on the clip. I'm assuming this an alcohol/methanol-fueled racecar as they tend to hold the hand brake to keep the racecar from moving and run the RPM's up to around 4,000 to 6,000 (depending on the tune-up) and then let out the clutch. (Fuel/nitromethane-fueled funny cars leave at an idle - if one can call 2,500 to 3,000 RPM's an idle.) Shortly after leaving the starting line the driver shifts from first/low to second/high. I believe the change in momentum or shock of the shift then caused the steering wheel to come off. Seems to me the driver was a bit tardy getting on the hand brake and then - after trying to get a hold of the errant steering wheel - finally reaches up and releases the parachte(s) and/or shuts off the fuel pump(s).
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P.S. I recently that learned that the nitromethane-fueled engines used in the fuel funny cars and top fuel dragsters can make more than 10,000 horsepower. And they are only five-hundred cubic inches!
