# Kenny Acheson

Kenneth Henry Acheson (born 27 November 1957) is a British former racing driver from Northern Ireland who competed for RAM Racing in the 1983 and 1985 Formula One seasons. He completed only one of his three race starts, finishing in 12th position in the 1983 South African Grand Prix. In 1985, he was a substitute for Manfred Winkelhock, who was killed in a sportscar race during the season.

## Career
### Early career

Born in Cookstown, his father, the owner of an Ulster brickworks, raced in the 1970s on motorcycles and in Formula Ford.
In 1976 he had a test in his father's old Crosslé FF1600 at the local Kirkistown Circuit and in no time was lapping within three seconds of the lap record. He entered his first race later in the year, once again at Kirkistown driving his father's FF1600 Crosslé. He acquitted himself pretty well and his father agreed to buy a new Crosslé for the 1977 season if Kenny quit smoking.
So, equipped with new machinery, he won the 1977 Northern Ireland FF1600 Championship.

### Further success and Formula 1

For 1978 he moved to England to contest three of the Formula Ford series. Driving one of Alan Cornock's Royales with RMC sponsorship, he won 29 races and all three championships. He also picked up a Grovewood Award at the end of the year.
Moving up to Formula 3 in 1979, he began with a second-hand Ralt but soon ordered a new March 793 in an effort to be more competitive. However he failed to take any Championship wins though he set the fastest lap at the F3 support race for the 1979 British Grand Prix and won three non-championship races.
For 1980 he joined up with Murray Taylor Racing at Stone in Oxfordshire, to contest the Vandervell British F3 Championship. By mid-season Acheson was leading the Championship from Stefan Johansson who was driving for Project 4 Racing. But then Johansson acquired a new Ralt RT3 and closed the gap. At the last race of the Championship, Kenny made a small mistake and Johansson took the title.
Moving up to Formula 2 in 1981, he joined Docking Spitzley Racing driving a Toleman TG280. However his season ended prematurely with a big accident while racing for the lead with Michele Alboreto around the French street circuit at Pau. Running wheel to wheel, Alboreto left Acheson nowhere to go and he crashed heavily, his car ending up in a tree. With both his legs badly broken he was lucky to survive.
Nevertheless, he returned in 1982 with the Ralt Honda team, finishing seventh in the European Championship.
He was given a works F2 drive with Maurer Motorsport in 1983 and, later in the year, made his F1 debut in one of John McDonald's RAM March F1 cars with RMC sponsorship RAM March F1 car. In seven races, he failed to qualify the cumbersome car on every occasion before he finally made it onto the grid for the South African GP.
Without a drive in 1984, he returned to the RAM team as to replace Manfred Winkelhock who had tragically been killed racing a Kremer Porsche 962C at Mosport Park. With the more competitive Hart-powered RAM 03 Kenny qualified for both the Austrian and Italian GP but his funds dried up and that was the end of his F1 career.

### Later career

He also had a brief flirtation with CART that year. He was entered for the Indy 500 in a Lola T800 Cosworth but didn't drive. He then crashed his March 83C Cosworth at the Meadowlands before failing to qualify for Elkhart Lake and crashing in practice at Laguna Seca in the Skoal Bandit Lola T800 Cosworth.
For the next few years he made his living in Japan where he raced for Kunimitsu Takahashi's Advan-backed Alpha team in Formula 3000 and sports cars. He won the Japanese Sportscar Championship in 1987 and on the back of that, moved back to Europe in 1988 with Sauber-Mercedes and was due to drive at Le Mans, but the team pulled out in practice.
He embarked on a full season with Sauber-Mercedes in 1989 and took a fine second at Le Mans that year driving with Mauro Baldi, the pair going on to win at Brands Hatch and Spa.
At the end of 1989 he was dropped by Sauber despite his performances and instead moved to Nissan for 1990 for the WSPC season. At Le Mans he retired the R90CK with a gearbox failure during the warm-up lap.
For Le Mans in 1991 he was part of the Silk Cut Jaguar team, finishing third in the XJR12. In 1992 he was back at Le Mans, this time with Toyota driving the Tony Southgate designed TS010 and scoring another second, though the following year he failed to finish. When the sportscar World Championship ended, Acheson switched to GT racing in Japan with the SARD team. This led to a final visit to the Sarthe in 1995, when he drove the SARD MC8R, retiring after just 14 laps when the car suffered a total brake failure.
In 1996 Acheson went to the Daytona 24 Hours with the Newcastle United football team liveried Lister Storm, sharing the car with Geoff Lees and Tiff Needell. In the dying moments of the race his Lister was destroyed in a violent crash when he was hit by a slower car. Luckily he walked away from the scene, and he also decided to walk away from racing altogether.

## Racing record
### Complete European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1981 | Docking Spitzley Team Toleman | Lola T850 | Hart | SIL 19 | HOC Ret | THR Ret | NÜR 6 | VLL 10 | MUG 15 | PAU Ret | PER | SPA | DON | MIS | MAN 3 | | 15th | 5 |
| 1982 | Ralt Racing Ltd. | Ralt RH6/82 | Honda | SIL Ret | HOC 13 | THR 2 | NÜR 4 | MUG 6 | VLL 14 | PAU 5 | SPA 10 | HOC 11 | DON 10 | MAN Ret | PER Ret | MIS Ret | 7th | 12 |
| 1983 | Maurer Motorsport | Maurer MM83 | BMW | SIL Ret | THR 10 | HOC 10 | NÜR 9 | VLL 11 | PAU 2 | JAR Ret | DON 8 | MIS | PER | ZOL | MUG | | 10th | 6 |

### Japanese Top Formula Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1981 | Suzuki Racing | Toleman TG280 | Hart | SUZ | SUZ | SUZ | SUZ | SUZ Ret | | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1982 | Ralt Racing Ltd. | Ralt RH6/82 | Honda | SUZ | FUJ | SUZ | SUZ | SUZ 15 | SUZ 4 | | | | | | 12th | 10 |
| 1985 | Advan Sports Nova | March 85J | Honda | SUZ 4 | FUJ 3 | MIN 6 | SUZ Ret | SUZ 5 | FUJ 1 | SUZ 4 | SUZ 8 | | | | 3rd | 66 (69) |
| 1987 | Advan Sports Tomei | March 87B | Cosworth | SUZ 8 | FUJ 16 | MIN | SUZ 10 | SUZ 15 | SUG Ret | FUJ 7 | SUZ Ret | SUZ Ret | | | 15th | 8 |
| 1988 | Team Kitamura | March 87B | Mugen-Honda | SUZ 8 | FUJ Ret | MIN 9 | SUZ 15 | SUG Ret | FUJ 14 | SUZ | SUZ | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1989 | Team LeMans | Reynard 89D | Mugen-Honda | SUZ | FUJ | MIN | SUZ | SUG Ret | FUJ 14 | SUZ | SUZ | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1991 | Ad Racing Team | Reynard 91D | Mugen-Honda | SUZ EX | AUT | FUJ | MIN | SUZ | SUG | FUJ | SUZ | FUJ | SUZ | FUJ | NC | 0 |

### Complete Formula One results

(key)
| Year | Team | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Pts |
| 1983 | RAM Automotive Team March | RAM March 01 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | BRA | USW | FRA | SMR | MON | BEL | DET | CAN | GBR DNQ | GER DNQ | AUT DNQ | NED DNQ | ITA DNQ | EUR DNQ | RSA 12 | | NC | 0 |
| 1985 | Skoal Bandit Formula 1 Team | RAM 03 | Hart 415T 1.5 L4t | BRA | POR | SMR | MON | CAN | DET | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT Ret | NED DNQ | ITA Ret | BEL | EUR | RSA | AUS | NC | 0 |
| Source: ||||||||||||||||||||||

### American Open-Wheel racing

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

#### CART PPG Indy Car World Series

| Year | Team | Car | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Pos. | Pts | Ref |
| 1984 | WIT Promotions | 47 | March 83C | Cosworth DFX V8t | LBH | PHX | INDY | MIL | POR | MEA 28 | CLE | MCH | | | | | | | | | 40th | 0 | |
| 1984 | H&R Racing | 82 | March 84C | Cosworth DFX V8t | | | | | | | | | ROA DNQ | POC | MDO | SAN | MCH | PHX | | | | 40th | 0 |
| 1984 | Forsythe Racing | 33 | Lola T800 | Cosworth DFX V8t | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | LAG DNQ | CPL | 40th | 0 | |

### Complete World Sportscar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Car | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1985 | John Fitzpatrick Racing | C1 | Porsche 956B | Porsche Type 935 2.6 F6t | MUG | MNZ Ret | SIL | | | | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1985 | John Fitzpatrick Racing | C1 | Porsche 962C | Porsche Type 935 2.6 F6t | | | | LMS DNQ | HOC | MOS | SPA | BRH | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1985 | Richard Lloyd Racing | C1 | Porsche 956 Gti | Porsche Type 935 2.6 F6t | | | | | | | | | FUJ Ret | SHA | | NC | 0 |
| 1986 | Team Ikuzawa | C1 | Tom's 86C | Toyota 4T-GT 2.1 L4t | MNZ | SIL | LMS | NOR | BRH | JER | NÜR | SPA | FUJ Ret | | | NC | 0 |
| 1987 | Advan Alpha Nova | C1 | Porsche 962C | Porsche Type 935 3.0 F6 t | JAR | JER | MNZ | SIL | LMS | NOR | BRH | NÜR | SPA | FUJ 11 | | NC | 0 |
| 1988 | Team Sauber Mercedes | C1 | Sauber C9 | Mercedes-Benz M117 5.0 V8 t | JER | JAR | MNZ | SIL | LMS DNS | BRN | BRH | NÜR | SPA | FUJ 5 | SAN | NC | 0 |
| 1989 | Team Sauber Mercedes | C1 | Sauber C9 | Mercedes-Benz M117 5.0 V8 t | SUZ 2 | DIJ 3 | JAR 5 | BRH 1 | NÜR 2 | DON 2 | SPA 1 | MEX Ret | | | | 4th | 97 (105) |
| 1990 | Nissan Motorsports International | C | Nissan R89C | Nissan VRH35Z 3.5 V8 t | SUZ Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 9th | 11 |
| 1990 | Nissan Motorsports International | C | Nissan R90CK | Nissan VRH35Z 3.5 V8 t | | MNZ 7 | SIL Ret | SPA 3 | DIJ 21 | NÜR 9 | DON 4 | CGV 5 | MEX 4 | | | | 9th | 11 |
| 1991 | Silk Cut Jaguar | C2 | Jaguar XJR-12 | Jaguar 7.4L V12 | SUZ | MNZ | SIL | LMS 3 | NÜR | MAG | MEX | AUT | | | | 24th | 12 |
| 1992 | Toyota Team Tom's | C1 | Toyota TS010 | Toyota RV10 3.5 V10 | MNZ | SIL | LMS 2 | DON | SUZ Ret | MAG | | | | | | 16th | 15 |

### Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 1985 | John Fitzpatrick Racing | Dudley Wood Jean-Louis Schlesser | Porsche 962C | C1 | - | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1988 | Team Sauber Mercedes | Klaus Niedzwiedz | Sauber C9-Mercedes | C1 | - | DNS | DNS |
| 1989 | Team Sauber Mercedes | Mauro Baldi Gianfranco Brancatelli | Sauber C9-Mercedes | C1 | 384 | 2nd | 2nd |
| 1990 | Nissan Motorsports International | Martin Donnelly Olivier Grouillard | Nissan R90CK | C1 | 0 | DNF | DNF |
| 1991 | Silk Cut Jaguar Tom Walkinshaw Racing | Teo Fabi Bob Wollek | Jaguar XJR-12 | C2 | 358 | 3rd | 3rd |
| 1992 | Toyota Team Tom's | Pierre-Henri Raphanel Masanori Sekiya | Toyota TS010 | C1 | 346 | 2nd | 2nd |
| 1993 | Toyota Team Tom's | Pierre-Henri Raphanel Andy Wallace | Toyota TS010 | C1 | 212 | DNF | DNF |
| 1995 | SARD Co. Ltd. | Alain Ferté Tomiko Yoshikawa | SARD MC8-R-Toyota | GT1 | 14 | DNF | DNF |
| Source: ||||||||

### Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1986 | Eddie Jordan Racing | March 86B | Ford Cosworth | SIL | VLL | PAU | SPA | IMO | MUG | PER | ÖST Ret | BIR | BUG | JAR | NC | 0 |