Business Notes TRUCKING

Seventy years ago, race-car drivers like the legendary Barney Oldfield used a simple method to bring their cars to the track: they drove them there. No more. Today's million-dollar race cars are hauled around in souped-up trailers equipped with elevator platforms for loading, fully outfitted machine shops, wood-paneled meeting rooms, stereos and videocassette recorders. Says former racer Bruce Canepa: "Race-car trailers are an art form in themselves."

Canepa has good reason to boast. His company, Concept Trailers, based in Santa Cruz, Calif., builds trucks for transporting race cars, crews, tools and supplies in classy comfort. His 50-ft. trailers, which sell for an average $275,000, hauled 30 of the 33 cars that were to take part in Sunday's Indianapolis 500.