NASCAR at Phoenix 2014: Race Schedule, Live Stream Info and Drivers to Watch

The Chase for the Sprint Cup has reached its penultimate chapter.

The pressure is mounting for NASCAR's top drivers, as Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 represents their second-to-last chance to earn the requisite points to compete for the Sprint Cup title next Sunday in Miami.

As such, expect the competition to be fierce. Add in the fact that there are still several chippy drivers following last weekend's extracurricular activities, and Phoenix International Raceway could easily play host to must-watch television.

Don't miss out on the action. Only the top four drivers after Sunday will move on to the Championship Round next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Ford EcoBoost 400, so expect an emotional showing on the track.

*Note: A full list of starting positions can be found here, via NASCAR.com.

Where: Phoenix International Raceway

When: Sunday, November 9, 3 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Drivers to Watch

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Denny Hamlin needs just an 11th-place finish or better Sunday to earn one of the four positions in NASCAR's Sprint Cup title race. The No. 2 driver in the standings, Hamlin has raced consistently throughout most of the year. That would make an 11th-place finish seem like an easy task.

It got even easier after his qualifying run. Hamlin won the pole position, taking care of the one-mile track in 25.332 seconds (142.113 mph). His third Coors Light pole award of the year should bring positive results. He started first at Bristol in March and finished sixth. At Pocono, he finished fourth.

Hamlin isn't cocky, despite the glaring advantage he has starting first overall, via Reid Spencer of NASCAR.com:

"

I think the competition is just too close and tight to think that you're just going to coast to an 11th-place finish. Nowadays, the difference between 11th and third and 20th is not that much, so you've got to go all-out on every single lap and fight for every position on restarts.

"

Hamlin has one win, eight top-fives and nine top-10s in his career at Phoenix.

Kevin Harvick, No. 8 in the standings, is a must-watch driver both because of the stakes and because of recent history. In terms of stakes, a win guarantees him the opportunity of racing with a purpose next week. There are other scenarios that could push him through, but winning erases any doubt from the issue.

History is on his side. He has won three of the last four races at Phoenix International Raceway, obviously making him a serious contender Sunday. Overall, he has won five times in 23 races there.

A final driver to watch is Ryan Newman, if only for the fact that he has the tallest mountain to climb given how his qualifying went earlier in the weekend.

Ralph Lauer/Associated Press

Newman, currently No. 3 in the Sprint Cup standings, will start 20th—the worst of all drivers still eligible for the title. He needs to finish within the top nine drivers to advance, and the chances of him doing so are high when considering his previous efforts on the track. He has 10 finishes within the top 10 over 24 career races at Phoenix.

Considered an underdog in the final stages of the season because he hasn't won once in 34 races this season, Newman isn't one to dwell on others' opinions, via Fox Sports' Jared Turner.

"I'm not really so much worried about what somebody thinks of me and if I'm a sleeper or an underdog or the odd man out or whatever you want to call me," he said. "I'm having fun, and that's what it's supposed to be about."

Will he defy the title of "sleeper" on Sunday? Consistency has been his game, but winning hasn't.

With major implications, the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 is going to be filled with fireworks. With a field of several drivers vying for four spots, things might get heated quickly.

*Career racing statistics courtesy of Racing-Reference.info. 

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn