Carl Edwards could have played it safe.

With dark clouds looming and rain falling on the backstretch at Pocono Raceway, Edwards had a decision.

He could maintain his lead and hope the weather caused the race to be called early, or he could relinquish the lead — and a possible victory — to make a pit stop that would strengthen his car if the raced continued.

Edwards made the right choice. He joined several drivers who made pit stops before rallying to collect his fourth victory of the season by winning the Pennsylvania 500 on Sunday.

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But why would Edwards risk losing so many points in the standings for a chance to win? The answer is simple.

For Edwards and other drivers trying to finish in the top-12 to make the Chase for the Cup, it’s all about bonus points.

Last year, NASCAR instituted a system for the drivers competing in the Chase for the Cup, as it ranked teams based on their number of wins during the first 26 races. Each victory was worth 10 points.

The idea was intended to put an emphasis on winning races, and when it gave Jimmie Johnson the momentum he needed to capture his second consecutive championship last fall, teams noticed.

“Last year we were second, and [Jeff Gordon] was a couple of hundred points up on us leaving Richmond,” Johnson said. “We had more wins and ended up seeded higher than he was.”

This year, teams knew what to expect. When Kyle Busch upped the ante by winning seven of the first 19 races, it meant drivers had to win — not just place high — to catch him.

“Anything other than winning … right now isn’t going to make a difference for the end of our season,” Edwards said. “We can’t give up the opportunity to win races.”

The end result is better action on the track and less of the “points racing” that used to make the Race to the Chase so bland and uneventful. And with five races left before the Chase begins, drivers are running out of time to make the field.

“You might see some guys taking some chances to win races and get those finishes up front,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. “I think that is going to be happening a lot of weekends.”

With races at Bristol and Richmond right around the corner, the quest for wins could make or break a driver’s championship hopes.

“I think going into the Chase, you’re going to see a lot of heated moments,” Johnson said. “I think Richmond is going to be a barn burner when we get there. It’s really going to be an intense one.”

Get up to speed on the latest in NASCAR — listen to Wilson’s Race Report every weeknight at 8:20 on 93.1 WPOC.