After all, Harvick has won five times in the past 10 Sprint Cup races at the track. So when the Good Sam 500 starts around 3:45 p.m. ET, eyes will be on the No. 4 car to see if Harvick will remain the king of the desert.

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From left: Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch (Getty Images)

There are more than a few challengers. Kyle Busch starts from pole position and has a strong car. So does teammate Matt Kenseth, who has met with bad luck this season. Brother Kurt Busch has been among early contenders and is Harvick’s teammate. Look out for him.

Is this the week for breakout winner? Austin Dillon is on the rise. Ryan Blaney is excelling for one-car, non-chartered Wood Brothers Racing.

This is one of the shortest races of the season. It goes 500 kilometers, or 312 miles, on a track a bit longer than a mile. So the story will be about getting to the front and staying there.

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Here is Sunday’s starting lineup. Note: Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne are using backup cars and will start the race from the rear of the field.