Van Gisbergen, Slade explain dramatic incident

Shane van Gisbergen and Tim Slade have both labelled their qualifying coming-together a "shame".

Van Gisbergen, who took Race 4 pole, and Slade collided at Turn 6 in the closing minutes of Race 5 qualifying.

The series leader caught Slade down the back straight, and loomed to pass the #3 CoolDrive Mustang.

However, an adjustment from Slade saw the two interlock wheels and slide off the track.

Both cars returned to pit lane, albeit with punctures and battle scars.

It prevented van Gisbergen's late pole run, handing Will Davison front-running for Race 5.

However, he still managed to qualify third behind Davison and Jack Le Brocq, with Slade 10th after having his fastest time invalidated.

Slade has slapped with a three-place grid penalty over the incident.

"He mucked up out of the hairpin and let someone go," van Gisbergen explained.

"I was on a ripper big tow, and he kind of went wide at the sweeper, and thought, 'Okay, he's giving me the line'.

"And then at the last minute he's come back onto the race line and I shat myself.

"I went up the inside, and he tried to race me and turned down.

"I'm on a heater, he's not. Flat tyre, which sucks. Lucky we put down a banker."

Slade, who finished 11th on Saturday, believes he has a car capable of making ground in the race.

"It's a shame, because we had quite a fast car," Slade said.

"Would've liked to have got a lap on green [tyres] there.

"We had good race yesterday, we just had better pace in qualifying.

"If anything, the car should be that bit better in the race given the balance we've gone towards today.

Cars will return to the track for the 44-lap Race 4 at 1:00pm AEDT.

The NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint will close with Race 5 at 3:55pm AEDT.