DETROIT -- Who are those guys in the white lab coats and what are they doing under the hood of a car? Their ambulance is stocked with wrenches and sockets. The operating room is outdoors in one of nine cities across America designated as overnight stops on the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour May 13-23. The Chevrolet Motor Medics are a special corps of GM engineers and technicians and representatives from local Chevrolet dealers assembled to help the more than 2,000 drivers of high performance vehicles on the Power Tour keep their cars on the road.

"It's pretty rough when you limp into in a strange town at 6 p.m. in your '67 Chevy Nova, and you know there's a mechanical problem," said Dan Ladd, general manager of Courtesy Chevrolet who acted as host dealer for the tour when it visited Kansas City, MO last year. "Because of our commitment to auto enthusiasts and determination that everyone who starts the tour can complete it, we assign parts and service personnel to act as Motor Medics."

Each evening the medics are on hand to answer technical questions, help diagnose mechanical problems and locate parts.

"There have been some circumstances that called for a tremendous amount of resourcefulness on the part of local folks," said Scott Leon, a GM engineer from the GM Desert Proving Grounds, who has been a Motor Medic since the program was launched in 1997. "Dealers have opened their parts departments after hours or on weekends to accommodate needs. We've worked with Mopar and Ford dealers and even independent parts stores to help facilitate repairs."

In terms of mechanical diagnosis, Leon explained that a look at the drivetrain, using a Tech 1 or Tech 2 diagnostic tool can often pinpoint a wide range of difficulties. These tools examine throttle position, engine RPM, coolant temp, the amount of air flow into engine and trouble codes that may have been stored to aid in diagnostics.

The Motor Medic's truck, packed with Snap-On tools for loan, is a '93 Chevrolet dually crew cab powered by a GM Performance Parts 502 cubic-inch crate engine with a retro towing kit. It is fitted with a utility box, revolving amber lights and public address system.

Leon emphasized that Motor Medics do not perform "road rescues" on the Power Tour. Instead, they concentrate their energies on helping folks who arrive at each of the cruise- ins needing assistance to remain on the tour.

In addition to their assistance as Motor Medics, local host dealers bring new performance-oriented vehicles for display and sale. Ladd said that this year's hottest new models at Power Tour stops are the Silverado and all new 2000 Monte Carlo.

Participating Chevrolet host dealers are: San Bernadino, CA - Rotolo Chevrolet; Flagstaff, AZ - Tyrell- Marxen Chevrolet Oldsmobile; Albuquerque, NM - Galles Chevrolet; Amarillo, TX - Plains Chevrolet; Tulsa, OK - Reliable Chevrolet; Kansas City, MO - Courtesy Chevrolet; Madison, IL - Weber Granite City Chevrolet; Louisville, KY - Broadway Chevrolet; and, Nashville, TN - Capitol Chevrolet.