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“Zombie” Chevy Malibu Wagon Goes Rogue, Side-Bites Nova During Feisty Drag Race

Although Chevrolet’s Nova has taken a lot of banter over the years because of its name (it means “not going” in Spanish), this time around, it’s not the car’s fault for being unable to complete the quarter-mile. Instead, something happened with the rivaling Chevrolet Malibu Wagon from the other lane; maybe its internals were attacked by automotive zombies, if we are to judge by the car’s nickname?
"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race 13 photos
Photo: Door Slammers Drag Racing / YouTube / Straight Line Media / Kyle Christ
"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race"Zombie" Chevrolet Malibu Wagon hits Chevrolet Nova during drag race
Although we really can’t make up the model year of the Nova based on the video embedded below (as the camera operator mostly focuses on the “Zombie” competitor), we’re probably dealing with a third-generation model. As far as we can tell, it’s menacingly dressed up in black and up for some drag racing glory before its career gets paused by what humans would refer to as a sporting injury.

As for the perpetrator of the accident, it’s a beat-down white Chevrolet Malibu Wagon (most likely a fourth gen, give us a shoutout in the comments section below if we’re wrong) that really can’t be labeled as a sleeper. After all, those meaty rear tires, the blown hood, or side exhausts easily give away what’s going on under the battered metal.

Unfortunately, instead of getting a big surge of adrenaline and the glory of setting the best ET, these two Chevys demonstrate an important point: while it may look easy from afar, drag racing isn’t all about straight-line acceleration. Instead, it involves a lot of skill and quick thinking—something the Malibu driver may be lacking.

The video from the Door Slammers Drag Racing YouTubechannel opens up with the enticing prospect of seeing the classic rides go head-to-head for the best time and trap speed glory. But even though the “Zombie” Malibu gets the upper hand on the Nova, something goes terribly wrong just after the tree and the wagon quickly skids out of control into the other lane.

The Nova driver probably didn’t have time to react and could only watch as the Malibu took a bite (pun intended) out of the right side. Both cars were sent crashing into the concrete wall and then slowly came to a halt towards the end of the strip while track rescue vehicles rushed to assist. Fortunately, it seems that the only things bruised were the egos, and not the drivers.

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About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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