Engine Builder magazine has announced its annual Diesel of the Year winning engine – a Billet 7.0L Powerstroke – based on the 6.0L platform and built by Jared Alderson of Kill Devil Diesel in Poplar Branch, NC. Members of Kill Devil Diesel accepted the Diesel of the Year award at Engine Builder’s PRI Party, sponsored by The ArmaKleen Company and Safety-Kleen, at Tin Roof in Indianapolis on December 6.
The 2023 Diesel of the Year contest, stems from Engine Builder’s Diesel of the Week series, sponsored by AMSOIL INC. This series began in 2019 as a way to showcase the increasing number of diesel performance engines being built. The Diesel of the Week profiles diesel builders, racers, their shops, and a specific diesel engine build in detail.
Out of the more than 50 diesel engines profiled in 2023, Engine Builder’s readers and social media audience selected a Top 10 diesel engines worthy of being crowned Diesel of the Year. The 2023 Top 10 diesels were:
- Billet 7.0L Powerstroke built by Kill Devil Diesel in Poplar Branch, NC
- Compound Turbo 5.9L Cummins built by LinCo Diesel Performance in Troy, MO
- Twin-Charged 3.0L EcoDiesel built by Freedom Racing Engines in Brownsburg, IN
- Single-Turbo 3.0 Limited Pro Stock Cummins built by Apex Diesel in Atlantic, PA
- 6.7L Powerstroke built by Choate Engineering Performance in Bolivar, TN
- Turbocharged 12-Valve Cummins bult by HDP Performance in Chesterfield, SC
- Turbocharged 7.3L Powerstroke built by CNC Fabrication LLC in Bryan, OH
- Single-Turbo 6.8L Cummins built by Freedom Racing Engines in Brownsburg, IN
- Single-Turbo 5.9L Cummins built by New Performance Automotive in Rural Retreat, VA
- Turbocharged LML Duramax built by Wagler Motorsports in Odon, IN
Those Top 10 diesels were pitted against one another in a two-week voting contest on Engine Builder’s website and social media channels. After counting the votes, Kill Devil Diesel’s billet 7.0L Powerstroke engine built for KC Turbos’ race truck claimed the Diesel of the Year crown for 2023.
The billet 7.0L Powerstroke engine made its debut during the 2023 Ultimate Callout Challenge this past summer, performing well at the heavy-hitter diesel event. Since then, the KC Turbos truck, Haunter, and the race team went on to be NHRDA Pro Street World Champions, while also setting a new record for the quickest 6.0L Powerstroke in the world, and a new world record for NHRDA Pro Street with an ET of 5.12 at 134 mph.
“We are thrilled and deeply honored to receive the Diesel of the Year award from Engine Builder magazine for our 7.0L billet Powerstroke engine, the powerhouse behind the KC Turbos race truck, the fastest 6.0L Powerstroke in the world,” says Jared Alderson, owner of Kill Devil Diesel. “This recognition is a testament to the relentless dedication and innovation of the entire Kill Devil Diesel team, and all of our partners in the industry who make this possible. We extend our gratitude to Engine Builder magazine and everyone who has been part of this remarkable journey. This accolade is not just a win for Kill Devil Diesel; it’s a celebration of the relentless pursuit of excellence that drives us to continue pushing the boundaries of diesel engineering.”
For more details on the winning diesel, read it here or watch the video here. If you’re interested in being part of the 2024 Diesel of the Week series sponsored by AMSOIL, please email brand manager and content director Greg Jones at [email protected].
