Grove Racing’s Richie Stanaway was the first to pile into Turn 8, getting all four wheels of his Ford Mustang airborne.
Then Matt Stone Racing’s Cameron Hill slammed the wall in the same spot where the concrete block had already been pushed back.
Moments after that, David Reynolds in the leading Team 18 entry went into the wall and eventually collided with Hill’s idle car.
The red flag was drawn after Hill went in and a prolonged stoppage followed as cars were recovered and walls were repositioned.
After more than 40 minutes, race director James Taylor declared the session.
WAU were hit hard by the declaration with recently crowned people’s choice Chaz Mostert bogged down in 22nd without a time to his name. His teammate Ryan Wood was only 16th.
The pair showed promise in the day’s earlier practice session where Mostert was third quickest and Wood just behind him in fourth.
Taking to social media, Walkinshaw hit out at officials for the call to declare qualifying, not because of the results of his drivers, but for the entertainment element.
“What a stupid decision from Motorsport Australia to declare that qualifying session instead of suspending it and finishing it off tomorrow,” he wrote.
“I feel sorry for the fans tbh. We are supposed to be an entertainment business first and foremost.”
Triple Eight Race Engineer’s Will Brown topped the session with three laps to his credit and a 1:19.442 to head Cameron Waters of Tickford Racing to the tune of more than three tenths.
Saturday’s Top 10 Shootout will feature surprise entries Aaron Love and James Courtney of the Blanchard Racing Team.
Three Brad Jones Racing team cars, Jaxon Evans, Macauley Jones, and Bryce Fullwood, have made it through in eighth, ninth, and 10th respectively.
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