For others who also haven't seen Top Gun in 20+ years,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2eoBWZp64s has the runway clip right at the beginning. He's not holding the clutch in the whole time, he just pulls it momentarily, as if he's shifting (though it seems a bit exaggerated). Also, when he sits up and does the fist pump thing, you can actually see the far side of the trailer between his body and the tank. That seems to match up with the idea that it was an unexpected improvisation.
I haven't seen it, but apparently he's upgraded to the H2 for this year's
Top Gun: Maverick.
https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/cl...n-new-top-gun/