Adding my 2 cents to the crash, since I was the one with the unfortunate premium view and the "ass on the line" (damn, that bumper was all new!):

The red car spun all by itself. He did not lock the breaks and rolled back on the track. That move caused the cars behind him to almost come to a stop (e.g. me). A half a dozen cars behind me were lined up - and wham! Rob N. didn't see me early enough, locked up on the inside line and hit me.

Lessons learned:
1. hit the breaks to prevent the car from rolling back on the track. It is very dangerous and unpredictable for other drivers to have a car shoot across the track

2. Qualifying is not a race. I don't understand why there are so many bulks of cars together sometimes even racing each other. With so many cars at different speeds close together the lap is wasted anyway - why not slow down, let the others go, relax the tires - and get a free, fast lap? This is way more effective, not speak of the risks (see above).