After finishing all 13 races and winning four races, Ron Esau was crowed as the inaugural Southwest Tour series champion in 1986. Esau set a standard in the series by finishing in the top five 10 times and in the top 10 12 times. Esau's closest competiton came in the form of Roman Calczynski. Though Calczynski only won one race during the season, he was able to keep things close with Esau throughout the year.

In all six different drivers scored wins in the first season for the late model touring series. Esau's victories were in the Vons 200 at Riverside International Raceway, Stockton 99 Speedway in Stockton and Shasta Speedway in Anderson in August, and the Suncrest Motorhomes 100 at the Willow Springs road course. Calczynski's lone victory came at Cajon on the Fourth of July. Roger Avants wrote his name in the record books by becoming the first winner in the series, winning at Saugus Speedway in the Miller 100. The Colorado driver made it a season sweep at Saugus by winning the July 5th event at the speedway.

Mike Chase didn't run the full schedule but made his starts count in the series winning at Shasta Speedway in June; the Liberty 100 at Placer County Speedway in Roseville and Tahoe-Carson Speedway in Carson City in July. Other drivers who scored wins were Ken Boyd winning at his home track, Ivan Baldwin who was victorious at Orange Show Speedway in September and Duke Hoenshell who won the season finale at Riverside. Esau won nearly $30,000 dollars for his championship efforts. Chevrolet won the manufacturers' title with 11 total victories ahead of Pontiac who finished 33 points behind.