Krages used the racing pseudonym "John Winter" to prevent his family, mainly his mother, from learning about his hobby.

As John Winter, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1985 with the Porsche 956 of Joest Racing, with Klaus Ludwig and Paolo Barilla.

[1] After the success and the publicity involved, his alter ego was revealed to his family when, the next day, his mother picked up a newspaper, with a picture of Krages on the rostrum.

[2][3] Winter spent many seasons competing in the German Interserie series, usually racing privately entered Porsches, taking the title in 1986.

[3][2][4] In 2001, suffering from problems in his business and from depression, he died by suicide in Atlanta, Georgia, shooting himself at his home.