Drag Illustrated Issue 114, October 2016 | Page 38

AL TUCCI
“I could be one of those guys that could tell
you about the cars, the blowers. I know a lot of
that stuff,” told Tucci, who grew up in his father’s
garage. “I bring that up in certain aspects of my
announcing, but I’m not going to be your technical guy. I really just want to have a good time.”
As much as he loves announcing and drag
racing, for Tucci life is about family more than
anything else, thanking his wife who keeps him
grounded and marveling at his kids. His only
regret at becoming a world-class announcer is
the time spent away from home. But family is
also the place Tucci got his start in racing.
“My dad had fast cars when I was a kid,” Tucci
told. “I hung out in the garage. He was my hero.

I always wanted to be like dad. I’d go to the drag
strip with him and I’d listen to the announcers
and I could remember my dad – this is no lie, and
this is before I ever had a thought about being
an announcer – he’s towing the car home and he
asked me, ‘Hey did you listen to the announcer?’ I
say yeah and he asks, ‘Did he say anything about
me? Did he say my name?’ I’ll never forget that. It
still rings in my head. Did he say my name? And
I say, ‘Yeah, he said Joe Tucci from Libertyville.’
And he smiles and he goes, ‘Cool.’
“If you ever listen to me announce, you see how
I incorporate everybody? I’ll incorporate your
dog, your kids. I think it comes from being that
kid, driving home and my dad asking me that
question. Did he say my name? When he said
that to me, I locked it in.”

That pivotal moment birthed many chapters of
drag racing memories as told through the voice
of Al Tucci. With Tucci, what you see is what you
get and for many that means a lifelong friendship.
His sincerity and caring nature builds relationships easily with racers fr