Wild Nicki must draw right card

But they also take into account his ability to put bums on seats.

They have spent the last three days pouring over their options and Pedersen’s future was top of their agenda after he missed 10 of this year’s rounds with a broken neck.

With two other former world champions, Greg Hancock, 47, and 2012 world No.1 Chris Holder, 30, both needing a helping hand to stay in the series, Pedersen is in a vulnerable position.

He only qualified for this year’s title race with a seeded spot and fellow Dane Niels-Kristian Iversen, who missed the cut through injury, is his major rival for a wild card.

Iversen, 35, beat Pedersen in each of the first two GPs of the year and outpointed him 18-8.

He’s also won his national crown six years in a row and was skipper of Denmark’s World Cup squad.

It looks like a straight wild card shoot-out between them, with Slovakian Martin Vaculik, 27, favourite to take the third of the four slots after finishing ninth this season. NICKI PEDERSEN is hoping his bad-boy tag will finally do him a good turn.

The three-time world champion is sweating on a route back into the Grand Prix fold.

Pedersen, 40, will be put out of his agony today when Grand Prix bosses name next year’s four wild cards.

The 40-year-old’s secret weapon is his controversial history, which has made him a huge draw.

He has been in more on-track dust-ups than any of his rivals and is never afraid to voice his feelings.

If the selection board are going on form, then Pedersen will miss out as he hasn’t won a round since 2015.