BJARNE Pedersen proved his fitness after missing Pirates' last two matches, but he still couldn't get the better of super quick Peter Karlsson at Monmore Green on Monday.

The Dane, who sat out Poole RIAS' home and away meetings against Peterborough with a wrist injury, returned to the saddle against Wolves.

However, it was PK who stole the limelight with two exceptional race wins over the Dorset club's spearhead.

The Swede beat Pedersen from behind in heats one and 15 and those pieces of bread in a Monmore Green Sandwich' were two of the key moments in Wolves' win.

Any doubts about Pedersen's fitness were quickly dispelled when he jumped out in front of PK in the opening race. The Poole rider edged PK wide on the pits turn and won the race to lead down the back straight.

Going into the last lap, Pedersen looked on course for victory.

But PK caught the Dane by surprise as he dived up the inside on the third bend and then kept a tight line round the fourth turn to win the race to the finish line.

PK was still unbeaten by an opponent going into heat 15, but he looked as though he would lose out on a paid maximum when Pedersen again got out in front.

Once more Pedersen led for three-and-a-half laps and looked all but certain of victory.

But once more PK dived up the inside of the Dane on the third bend of the final circuit to pull off a replica passing manoeuvre.

It was exceptional stuff from the Swede who had scorched to within two points of Pedersen's Elite League record score of 22 paid 23 for Poole at Arena-Essex last year in Wolves' previous meeting.

Yes, PK had got 21 from seven rides at Ipswich in his side's 50-42 defeat on Thursday, having won five races, got a second and another second as a tactical substitute starting 15 metres back.

Nine of the opening 11 heats were shared last night, with race five, which Craig Boyce and Pedersen led 5-1 for a brief period, pivotal in the final result.

Boyce inadvertently blocked Pedersen's outside move, allowing Fredrik Lindgren to get past both, and the 4-2 to Wolves gave them a lead they never relinquished.

  • Simon Stead is the wild card for the British Grand Prix at Cardiff on June 3.

Lewis Bridger and Ben Wilson are the track reserves.

Heat Details Wolves 52: Peter Karlsson (3-3-3-2*-3) 14+1, 2 Magnus Karlsson (0-0-3-0) 3, 3 Ronnie Correy (1*-1-2-3) 7+1, 4 Fredrik Lindgren (2-3-1*-2) 8+1, 5 Billy Hamill (3-3-2-3-1) 12, 6 William Lawson (2-2*-1*-1*) 6+3, 7 Christian Hefenbrock (1*-0-0-1) 2+1. Team manager: Peter Adams.

Pirates 41: 1 Bjarne Pedersen (2-0-3-3-0-2) 10, 2 Craig Boyce (1*-2-1*-2-0) 6+2, 3 Grzegorz Walasek (0-0-2-2-1) 5, 4 Antonio Lindback (3-2-1-exc 2 mins-6-0) 12, 5 Rider replacement for Krzysztof Kasprzak, 6 Jonas Davidsson (3-2-1*-0-1-0) 7+1, 7 Daniel Davidsson (0-1*-0) 1+1. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Referee: Tony Steele (Leicester).

Ht 1: P Karlsson, Pedersen, Boyce, M Karlsson, 56.11 (3-3).

Ht 2: J Davidsson, Lawson, Hefenbrock, D Davidsson, 57.67 (6-6).

Ht 3: Lindback, Lindgren, Correy, Walasek, 57.20 (9-9).

Ht 4: Hamill, Lindback, D Davidsson, Hefenbrock, 56.23 (12-12).

Ht 5: Lindgren, Boyce, Correy, Pedersen, 57.06 (16-14).

Ht 6: P Karlsson, J Davidsson, Boyce, M Karlsson, 57.60 (19-17).

Ht 7: Hamill, Lawson, Lindback, Walasek, 56.88 (24-18).

Ht 8: M Karlsson, Boyce, J Davidsson, Hefenbrock, 58.09 (27-21).

Ht 9: Pedersen, Correy, Lindgren, J Davidsson, 57.11 (30-24).

Ht 10: P Karlsson, Walasek, J Davidsson, M Karlsson, Lindback (excluded two minutes), 57.64 (33-27).

Ht 11: Pedersen, Hamill, Lawson, Boyce, 57.02 (36-30).

Ht 12: Correy, Walasek, Hefenbrock, J Davidsson, 57.90 (40-32).

Ht 13: Hamill, P Karlsson, Walasek, Pedersen, 56.91 (45-33).

Ht 14: Lindback (tactical rider, double points), Lindgren, Lawson, D Davidsson, 57.83 (48-39).

Ht 15: P Karlsson, Pedersen, Hamill, Lindback, 57.33 (52-41).