Engine Builder magazine has announced the three winners of its 2023 America’s Best Engine Shops contest, sponsored by The ArmaKleen Company and Safety-Kleen. The three winners, Noonan Race Engineering (Race), Warren Diesel Injection (Diesel) and 955 Automotive (Vintage), accepted their awards during Engine Builder’s PRI Party, sponsored by The ArmaKleen Company and Safety-Kleen, at Tin Roof in Indianapolis on December 6.
Engine Builder magazine has always made it a priority to recognize the hard work and amazing talents of engine builders. In fact, over the past 11 years of honoring this award, the magazine has placed the spotlight on dozens of successful engine builders who exemplify the key attributes of a well-run business.
As it always does, the America’s Best Engine Shops contest aimed to find the best engine shops out there operating in three different categories – Race, Vintage and Diesel. The contest, which is judged by members of Engine Builder magazine, look for shops that: celebrate creativity and innovation; encourage training and education; emphasize marketing, merchandising and promotion; maintain professional standards and conduct; take pride in appearance, business management, community involvement, business growth, achievement, and victories.
To give engine builders some well-deserved credit, people were asked to nominate worthy shops for the award or shops could nominate themselves. After more than 200 engine shop nominations were received, it was Noonan Race Engineering, owned by Renee and Jamie Noonan in Spartanburg, SC, that won the race shop category.
“It’s definitely a great honor to take this award,” says Jamie Noonan of Noonan Race Engineering. “It means so much to me to be quite honest, especially because of the journey we’ve come on from the other side of the world to here.”
Renee Noonan added, “To be renowned in the U.S. as the best – that’s pretty badass.”
When it came to the diesel shops under consideration for the award, it was Warren Diesel Injection, owned by Jesse Warren in Guys Mills, PA that stood out above the rest this year, winning the diesel shop category.
“Being chosen for this award is a tremendous honor for us here at Warren Diesel,” says Jesse Warren of Warren Diesel Injection. “This recognition is a testament to our commitment to delivering exceptional quality and performance, reinforcing our position as industry leaders. It motivates us to continue pushing boundaries and setting new benchmarks in engine building, inspiring confidence in our customers and peers alike.”
The third category of the contest focuses on vintage engine shops, which always include some tough competition, but it was 955 Automotive, owned by Jason Ore in Erie, PA that won the vintage shop category.
“I was kind of flabbergasted, but I’m also very honored,” says Jason Ore of 955 Automotive. “Building engines is something I look forward to every day, so it’s great to be recognized for what this shop is capable of doing.” Each of these shops proved to be among the elite in their respective categories. More information can be found on these shops here (Race, Diesel, Vintage) and in Engine Builder’s November 2023 print issue.
