Rick Carelli nearly started off the 1991 Southwest Tour season on a perfect note. Just hours prior to the season opening Coors 100 at Mesa Marin Raceway, Carelli's wife gave birth to a son. At the end of the night, Carelli came home a close second. It was the start of a season to remember for the 1987 rookie of the year in the series. At the drop of the checkered flag at Phoenix in September, Carelli was series champion with four wins, 13 top 5s and 13 top 10 finishes. In all, Carelli only finished out of the top five an astounding two times during the year, a remarkable feat.

Carelli's first victory of the season came in the second race at Cajon Speedway in April. Carelli went back-to-back in the next race in Las Vegas to win again. Carelli had to wait five months before returning to victory circle at Orange Show Speedway in the Coors 100 in August. The final win for the champion came at Las Vegas again, but this time Carelli won in dramatic fashion. After starting the race in 21st, Carelli methodically maneuvered his car through traffic to come out on top in the Budweiser 100.

The road to the championship was not an easy one for the Colorado driver. With each race, Carelli had to outduel the toughest of competitors in Palmdale, California's Ron Hornaday, Jr.. The series runner-up matched Carelli's victory total with four; at Mesa Marin in May, at Eureka in the July Olympia 100 event, at Saugus in September and at the season finale at Phoenix. Third place points finisher, Jon Paques had a solid year with three wins. Paques' won back-to-back races at Saugus in April and Stockton in May, then at Mesa Marin in June.

Bryan Germone went winless in 1991, but still managed fourth place in the standings, while Dennis Dyer was fifth. Ray Hooper, Jr. placed sixth in points while Brett Bell, Steve Johnson, Tom Price and defending series champion Doug George rounded out the top ten finishers. Mike Chase made the most of his only two starts in the 1991 season winning two races at Mesa Marin, the season opening Coors 100 and the Goodwrench 200, Chase's final career Southwest Tour win. Ken Boyd's second, and final career victory came at his home track, Stockton 99 Speedway in the Stockton 100. Ken Pederson made one start in 1991 at Sonoma and made it count with a victory in the Kodalux Processing 200. Johnson narrowly beat Bell for 1991 rookie of the year honors.