This press release is totally confusing to me. I don't know what it is they are saying is being measured. Sound pressure? If they were just blipping the throttle no real work was being done so there would be very little torque (compared to an actual run) being produced.
Yes, a fuel car is a delight for the senses, but I will assure you that the ground did not move when the car was fired. How could it? We'd have a huge problem with people losing their footing and structures moving around at every race.
I recognize Melvyn Record as being an ex-National Dragster staffer, but those credentials alone don't make me suspend disbelief.
I suppose this is going to get a fair amount of coverage due to being something most people can relate to, but until I see further details on what equipment they used and what actually was being measured, I'm writing this off as another example of junk science.
3.9 on the Richter scale? Please, spare me.