Career
He was killed in an American Automobile Association National Championship race at Tacoma Speedway. Billy Carlson began his career competing in races on the Pacific coast and was a comparative unknown before he started in the 500-mile classic at Indianapolis in 1914. He came in second to Barney Oldfield at Venice, California.
Carlson sustained fatal injuries in the Montamarathon race at Tacoma Speedway on July 4, 1915.
Maxwell suspended their racing game for the remainder of the season and the team was disbanded and the automobiles were shipped back to the factory in Detroit.