SILVER Machine duo Nicki Pedersen and Todd Wiltshire head for Sweden tonight in the pursuit of more speedway Grand Prix glory, writes JOHN GAISFORD.

Pedersen, still lapping up the limelight after his excellent runners-up spot behind five-times champion Tony Rickardsson at the Slasjki Stadium in Poland two weeks ago, is hungry for more.

The Danish champion didn't have the best of starts in Poland after being excluded in his opening ride, but fought back like a wounded tiger and after another six outings found himself holding the FIM silver medal.

But he has it all to do again with so much talent in the line-up and with Rickardsson and Leigh Adams riding on their Swedish Elite League home track, it's a huge advantage.

The meeting has been switched to the Avesta Stadium from the Olympic Stadium because the public sector workers in Stockholm are out on strike.

Wiltshire, who announced this week that he is to retire at the end of the season, will be making a series of farewells to these world events, starting tonight.

He is in a relaxed mood knowing that he will be spending more time with his family from the autumn, but wants to go out at

the top.

Wiltshire had a disastrous start to this year's campaign when he was eliminated after just two rides in Poland.

Burt he was unlucky, to say the least, holding a comfortable second place in his opening ride, only to shed a chain.

Rickardson remains favourite to equal Ivan Mauger's all-time record of six world titles, but it should be an intriguing contest.

How they stand: 1 Rickardsson 25pts; N Pedersen 20; Dryml 18; Gollob 16; Holta, Protasiewicz 13; Crump, Adams 11; Hancock, Cegielski 8; Max Richardson 7; Sullivan, Nicholl 6; Loram, Brhel 5; Bajerski, Ulamek 4; Kurmanski, Andersen 3; Wiltshire, B Pedersen 2; Lyons, Karlsson 1.

Mark Loram, who was awarded five points without riding in the last round, has pulled out of tomorrow's meeting as he has still not recovered from an arm injury.

The Eastbourne rider - the last Englishman to land the title - failed a fitness test at Peterborough, and his place now goes to Dane Ronni Pedersen.

David Howe and Simon Stead have been confirmed as the wild card entries for the British Grand Prix at Cardiff next month.