Helle Nice Figure

Mariette Helene Delangle, known professionally as Helle Nice, was a pioneering French dancer and motor racing driver born on 15 December 1900 in Aunay-sous-Auneau, France. Initially a ballet dancer performing at venues like the Hôtel Ritz and Casino de Paris, her career was curtailed by a skiing accident. Transitioning to motorsport, she began racing in 1929, quickly establishing herself in Grand Prix events, hill climbs, and rallies. Notably, she won the inaugural Grand Prix Féminin and the Actor’s Championship in 1929, and set a speed record of 196.871 km/h in a Bugatti Type 35B at Montlhéry. Her racing career included stints in the United States, where she was dubbed the “Speedbowl Queen”. In 1932, she triumphed in the Rallye Paris–Saint-Raphaël Féminin alongside co-driver Odette Siko.?

However, her career faced setbacks after a 1936 crash in Brazil that resulted in fatalities, and further damage occurred in 1949 when fellow driver Louis Chiron falsely accused her of being a Gestapo agent during World War II. This led to her ostracisation from the racing community. In her later years, Nice lived in poverty and died on 1 October 1984 in Nice, France. Her legacy was revived with the 2005 biography The Bugatti Queen by Miranda Seymour, and in 2010, a commemorative plaque was placed at her grave.

Details

Single 1:32 Scale Painted figure ready for use on your slot car track or scenic diorama.

Features

• 1:32 Scale Model
• Single Figure
• Painted Model

Contents

• 1 x Detailed Painted Figure

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