Three-time Formula One champion Nelson Piquet was not there with his son Pedro, who raced at the first two rounds, as an issue had been identified with Pedro's racing licence.
The matter is being dealt with by the licensing authorities in Brazil and the world governing body, the FIA, but could not be resolved in time to enable Pedro to continue contesting this year's series and he had to withdraw immediately.
• Slideshow: Toyota Racing Series at Highlands Motorsport Park
A win, a 10th place and a non-start still netted championship leader and series rookie Estonian Martin Rump enough points to retain a narrow series lead. Just two points separate him from second-placed Jann Mardenborough, who won the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy feature race yesterday.
In yesterday's first race Rump started eighth and dropped to 10th when he hit the wall at the long turn three, bending his steering. From that point on it was a matter of survival while the wet race progressed through a series of incidents and subsequent yellow flag and safety car periods.
In the feature race Rump's car was missing from the grid. Although his crew had repaired the obvious suspension and steering damage, the car had also sustained a smashed bellhousing in the impacts.
His main championship rival, Russian Egor Orudzhev, was far down the grid but needed only to secure a midfield finish to take the championship lead.
He put in the charge of the series, rising as high as fourth before crashing in the closing laps. The 18 international TRS drivers ''just loved'' the circuit, Highlands owner Tony Quinn said.
''They were fizzing about it.''
The Autosure Central Muscle Cars were the tough guys that played up to the fans. Among the 34-car grid, which was split into two classes (according to the degree of modification the immaculately presented classic V8s had) were two Otago drivers.
Dunedin's Steve Scoles campaigned his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro in a dry race one on Saturday and two wet races yesterday. Duane Ingley, of Queenstown, raced in the first outing, finishing 13th, and sat out yesterday's rain-drenched races.
''We've got to get to Ruapuna next weekend [for the Skope Classic] and I don't need a bent car,'' he said of his decision not to race.
Scoles finished 10th in Saturday's outing, then made his way from 29th in the reverse grid to eighth before wrapping up his meeting with a fifth place in the final race.
Although he ''couldn't see anything'' due to the tyre spray in the last two races, being down on horsepower - with 600hp (441kW) in comparison to the 870hp (639kW) of former V8 racing champion, Dean Perkins' Nascar-engined Ford Falcon - meant he did not lose as much traction, Scoles said.
Perkins took top honours ahead of Clarke Hopkins (A9X Torana) and Greg Honnor (Ford Mustang) in race one.
Auckland's Steve Noyer drove his Ford Mustang to victory in the other two races.
In the UDC NZ V8 Utes, Queenslander Kris Walton won all three races, ahead of Aucklanders Mike Lightfoot and Peter Ward.
Highlands' marketing and events manager Melanie Kees said Saturday's crowd was close to or greater than the 10,000 spectators who attended Saturday of the Highlands 101 event in November. Although yesterday's numbers were lower due to the rain, she was happy with the turnout.
''Understandably attendance numbers are down a little today, with the wet weather, but it's looking in the region of 18,000 to 20,000 fans over the whole weekend.''
