Bruce Kessler
Encyclopedia
Bruce Kessler is a former racing driver from the United States
. He entered one World Championship Formula One
Grand Prix (Monaco 1958
) with a Connaught owned by Bernie Ecclestone
, but failed to qualify, although he posted the 21st fastest time of the 28 entrants.
Kessler grew up in Beverly Hills, California
. He was the son of a clothing designer. In the early 50s he started racing his mother's Jaguar XK120
in the Sport Car Club of America races at sixteen years old. He raced the road race courses at Paramount Ranch and Willow Springs in California. He was a team driver along with Chuck Daigh
for the Scarab
race cars built by his good friend Lance Reventlow
in the late 50s.
The Scarabs won the International Grand Prix at Riverside
, California beating the famous driver Phil Hill
and the Ferrari
team. Kessler was invited to Europe to drive at Le Mans
. After a serious crash at the 1959 Examiner Grand Prix at Pomona, California, he spent days in a coma. Soon after, he retired from racing.
In 1958 (March 22) Kessler became class winner at "12 hour Florida International Grand Prix of Endurance for the AMOCO Trophy" (12 h Sebring), driving a Ferrari 250 GT LWB (#0773GT).
Kessler came back to California and became a film director. He directed many TV movies and TV series. One of his earliest efforts was a short film he directed on the Scarab race car for his friend Lance Reventlow called "The Sound of Speed". Kessler loved boats and sport fishing. He built a large fishing yacht, and is now retired in Florida.
Bruce Kessler was also a world class skeet
and trap
shooter.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He entered one World Championship Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Grand Prix (Monaco 1958
1958 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1958 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 18 May 1958 at Monaco. It was the second round of the 1958 Formula One season.- Race report :...
) with a Connaught owned by Bernie Ecclestone
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...
, but failed to qualify, although he posted the 21st fastest time of the 28 entrants.
Kessler grew up in Beverly Hills, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He was the son of a clothing designer. In the early 50s he started racing his mother's Jaguar XK120
Jaguar XK120
The Jaguar XK120 is a sports car which was manufactured by Jaguar between 1948 and 1954. It was Jaguar's first sports car since the SS 100, which ceased production in 1940.-History:...
in the Sport Car Club of America races at sixteen years old. He raced the road race courses at Paramount Ranch and Willow Springs in California. He was a team driver along with Chuck Daigh
Chuck Daigh
Chuck Daigh was an American racing car driver. He broke into Grand Prix racing through Lance Reventlow's Scarab team, through the virtue of being one of the resident engineers. Born in Long Beach, California, he participated in six World Championship Formula One races, debuting on May 29, 1960 and...
for the Scarab
Scarab (constructor)
Scarab was an all-American open-wheel race car and sports car constructor from the USA featuring cars designed and built by Tom Barnes and Dick Troutman for Reventlow Automobiles Inc, owned by Lance Reventlow...
race cars built by his good friend Lance Reventlow
Lance Reventlow
Lance Reventlow, born Lawrence Graf von Haugwitz-Hardenberg-Reventlow was a wealthy playboy, entrepreneur, and racing driver....
in the late 50s.
The Scarabs won the International Grand Prix at Riverside
Riverside International Raceway
Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989...
, California beating the famous driver Phil Hill
Phil Hill
Philip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero...
and the Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
team. Kessler was invited to Europe to drive at Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. After a serious crash at the 1959 Examiner Grand Prix at Pomona, California, he spent days in a coma. Soon after, he retired from racing.
In 1958 (March 22) Kessler became class winner at "12 hour Florida International Grand Prix of Endurance for the AMOCO Trophy" (12 h Sebring), driving a Ferrari 250 GT LWB (#0773GT).
Kessler came back to California and became a film director. He directed many TV movies and TV series. One of his earliest efforts was a short film he directed on the Scarab race car for his friend Lance Reventlow called "The Sound of Speed". Kessler loved boats and sport fishing. He built a large fishing yacht, and is now retired in Florida.
Bruce Kessler was also a world class skeet
Skeet shooting
Skeet shooting is one of the three major types of competitive shotgun target shooting sports . There are several types of skeet, including one with Olympic status , and many with only national recognition.- General principles :Skeet is a recreational and competitive activity where...
and trap
Trap shooting
Trap shooting is one of the three major forms of competitive clay pigeon shooting . The others are skeet shooting and sporting clays. There are many versions including Olympic trap, Double trap , Down-The-Line, and Nordic trap. American trap is most popular in the United States and Canada...
shooter.
Complete Formula One results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 1958 Formula One season The 1958 Formula One season was the ninth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1958 World Championship of Drivers which commenced on January 19, 1958, and ended on October 19 after eleven races... |
Bernie Ecclestone Bernie Ecclestone Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary... |
Connaught Type B | Alta Straight-4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
ARG 1958 Argentine Grand Prix The 1958 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 19 January 1958 at Buenos Aires. It was the first round of the 1958 Formula One season.The race was won by Stirling Moss in Rob Walker's privately-entered Cooper T43... |
MON 1958 Monaco Grand Prix The 1958 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 18 May 1958 at Monaco. It was the second round of the 1958 Formula One season.- Race report :... DNQ |
NED 1958 Dutch Grand Prix The 1958 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 26 May 1958 at Zandvoort. It was the third round of the 1958 Formula One season.- Classification :- Notes :* Pole position: Stuart Lewis-Evans - 1:37.1* Fastest Lap: Stirling Moss - 1:37.6... |
500 1958 Indianapolis 500 The 1958 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Friday, May 30, 1958 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the fourth round of the 1958 World Drivers' Championship.... |
BEL 1958 Belgian Grand Prix The 1958 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 15 June 1958 at Spa-Francorchamps. It was the 19th Belgian Grand Prix and it was held over 24 laps of the 14 kilometre circuit for a race distance of 339 kilometres.... |
FRA 1958 French Grand Prix The 1958 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Reims-Gueux on July 6, 1958. The race was marred by Scuderia Ferrari driver Luigi Musso's fatal accident at the Muzione hairpin. His Ferrari hurtled off course and crashed into a ditch... |
GBR 1958 British Grand Prix The 1958 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 19 July 1958 at Silverstone.- Classification :* replacing Bernie Ecclestone - Notes :* Pole position: Stirling Moss - 1:39.4* Fastest Lap: Mike Hawthorn - 1:40.8... |
GER 1958 German Grand Prix The 1958 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 3 August 1958 at Nürburgring.To increase participation, the organizers opened the field to Formula 2 cars. Also, the race distance was shortened to 15 laps from 22 previously... |
POR 1958 Portuguese Grand Prix The 1958 Portuguese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Circuito da Boavista, Oporto on 24 August 1958.- Classification :- Notes :*Pole position: Stirling Moss - 2:34.21*Fastest Lap: Mike Hawthorn - 2:32.37-Standings after the race:... |
ITA 1958 Italian Grand Prix The 1958 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on September 7, 1958.- Classification :* No points awarded for shared drive- Notes :*Pole position: Stirling Moss - 1:40.5*Fastest Lap: Phil Hill - 1:42.9... |
MOR 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix The 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Ain-Diab Circuit, Casablanca on October 19, 1958.- Classification :- Notes :* Hawthorn and Moss came into this race with a chance for the championship.** Hawthorn needed 2nd.... |
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