kessler born in seattle, washington and grew up in beverly hills, california. he was the son of a clothing designer. in the early 1950s he started racing his mother's jaguar xk120 in the sports 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 1950s.