Photographer’s injury at speedway blamed on ‘freak’ brakes failure

Waikaraka Park Speedway president Frank Irvine says a stock car hitting a photographer on Saturday night was a “freak accident”.

“From what I understand, a gear box blew up and parts of it got stuck on the brake panel causing the vehicle to veer off the track,” he said.

“The photographer was standing where he should be, but the out-ofcontrol vehicle [hit] him in the back.”

John Sprague, 58, has lost a lot of blood and remains in critical condition at Auckland City Hospital, according to a close friend.

Irvine said Sprague was an experienced photographer who had shot at the speedway for “a long time”.

“He’s got plenty of experience and knows what he’s doing, but how do you stop accidents from happening,” Irvine said. “This is a freak accident.”

Irvine said the speedway would leave it to the police to determine the outcome of what actually happened.

Colin Koh, a close friend of Sprague, said he was shocked when he learned of the accident.

“I’ve spoken to his daughter, and our thoughts and prayers are with him and the family.”

Koh said the Henderson businessman has a passion for photography and started shooting at speedways about 10 years ago.

“[He is] in the magazine cover lamination industry, but he’s also a hobby photographer with a love for speedway cars.” Koh said. Sprague has three adult children including a daughter who is a senior nurse. Worksafe says it has been notified. St John Ambulance were told of the incident by paramedics already at the speedway just before 8pm.

A man in the crowd, who did not want to be identified, told the Herald the photographer was in the infield area when he was hit by a car driven by a veteran Waikaraka driver.

“The car came around the back straight and around the turn. The person standing there was obviously too close to the track and the car clipped him.”