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On This Day in Automotive History: March 27

On This Day in Automotive History
March 27

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March 26 « Go to » March 28

Birthdays: Jack Tower (1886), Louis LeCocq (1892), Al Gordon (1902), Tommy Herzberg (1922), Bill Jennings (1926), Carlo Pietromarchi (1937), Maurice Petty (1939), Cale Yarborough (1939), Bobby Mausgrover (1940), Bosco Lowe (1943), Nestor Garcia-Veiga (1945), Randy Bethea (1948), Rodney Combs (1950), Dave Rodenroth (1953), Jeff Fuller (1957), Didier de Radigues (1958), Gene Woods (1958), Bubba Adams (1959), Randy Harris (1961), Parker Johnstone (1961), Steve Goldin (1962), Gregor Foitek (1965), Albert Naon Jr. (1966), Jeff Smith (1966), David Coulthard (1971), Frederic Gabillon (1976), Jason Allen (1977), Vitor Meira (1977), A.J. Henriksen (1979), Basil Shaaban (1980), Josh Nichols (1984), Stephen Rhodes (1984), Chris Eggleston (1989), Maciej Dreszer (1996)

1893: In a decision on Monongahela Navigation Company v. United States, Supreme Court Justice David Brewer states that, "the power of Congress to regulate commerce carries with it power over all the means and instrumentalities by which commerce is carried on . . . . We are so much accustomed to see artificial highways, such as common roads, turnpike roads and railroads, constructed under the authority of the States, and the improvement of natural highways [waterways] carried on by the general government, that at the first it might seem that there was some inherent difference in the power of the national government over them. But the grant of power is the same."

1964: An earthquake damages roads and bridges in Alaska. Bureau of Public Roads' Region 10 moves into action to help the Alaska Department of Highways restore service. On April 17, Bureau of Public Roads concurs in Governor William A. Egan's emergency proclamation and allocates an initial $4.2 million in emergency relief funds.

1969: Secretary of Transportation John Volpe announces a new post, Special Assistant to the Administrator, to ensure enforcement of Equal Employment Opportunity requirements. Alexander D. Gaither, currently Chief of FHWA's Equal Employment Opportunity Division, fills the position. In an order dated March 17, Volpe requires that equal practices be made part of every Federal-aid highway project contract or subcontract of $10,000 or more.

1999: Irwindale Speedway opened.

2010: The Mercedes-Benz A207 E-Class Cabriolet went on sale in Europe.

2018: The Cadillac XT4 debuted at the New York International Auto Show.