Back in the day, an "Italian tune-up" meant driving at high RPM for a good long time.
I'd say anyone using that term for a cold start-up is misusing the term, but they do use some terminology differently in the Southeast...
I'm still laughing at "spark hoses" for spark plug wires, and some of his other terminology, so no worries.

Notice the Roadkill Challenger in the background at the RR shop ? Methinks there's a tie-in of some sort.