Going into the 1990 Southwest Tour season, few would have pinned Atwater, CA's Doug George as a championship contender. Early in the season, it appeared as if George wouldn't be a serious contender. Though he scored two tenth place finishes and a ninth, George missed the Coors 100 at Stockton 99 Speedway. From that point on though, George went on a tear finishing in the top ten in every single race until the season finale at Phoenix International Raceway where he was crowned as champion. In all George scored three victories at Sonoma in the Pepsi Southwest Tour 200 in June, then winning the next race at Orange Show Speedway. George's last win of the year came at Roseville in the Coors Light 100.

Ron Hornaday, Jr. ran George hard all the way to the last race. Hornaday scored one victory in 1990 at Carson City in August. M.K. Kanke went winless during the year, but still managed a solid third place points effort with 9 top 5s and 13 top 10s. Bryan Germone was rookie of the year and finished fourth in the points standings. Ray Hooper, Jr. notched a victory at Saugus Speedway in September to come home fifth in points. Danny Crafton started in 17 of the 18 races during the year but still managed to finish sixth at the end of the season. Veteran Loran Kelley won twice during the season including the Wrangler Jeans 100 at Mesa Marin Raceway in June. Dennis Dyer placed eighth in the standings while Bob Lyon and Jon Paques completed the top ten.

Several of the top winners in the series didn't even compete full-time during the season. 1989 champion Dan Press started only seven races but won four of them. Former series regular Troy Beebe made 9 starts and won to events at Stockton in May, then later on at Redwood Acres Raceway in the 1990 Olympia 100 in July. Steve Johnson scored his lone Southwest Series victory at his hometrack in Stockton in August, while Mike Chase started and won every event he attempted; all at Mesa Marin in April and May and October.