The record books were extremely busy in diesel drag racing last year. Don’t just expect more of the same in 2024—count on it.
In the annals of diesel drag racing, 2023 will go down as one of the biggest years in history. New records were set in virtually every conceivable category. In Pro Dragster, one rail broke into the 3.80s in the eighth-mile while another stormed through the quarter-mile in 6 seconds flat. Up in Michigan, the world’s fastest 4×4 diesel truck broke its own record while the Pro Street ET and trap speed records came under fresh ownership. Along the way, a myriad of new, engine-specific high marks was established—and even the stick shift record was reset.
In all likelihood, this is only the beginning. Diesels are getting faster and more powerful by the day—and it’s currently dyno season… When the industry’s best and brightest are finished fine-tuning their winter projects and they leave their hibernation cells come spring, look for the following records to be challenged once again, if not shattered. For more than 20 years, diesel performance has been forging ahead, year after year. Don’t expect more of the same in 2024, count on it.
Michael Cordova
Overall 1/8-Mile ET Record: 3.87
Of all the headlines made in diesel drag racing last year, Michael Cordova’s 3.87-second pass was the biggest news. On September 30, Michael not only set the new eighth-mile ET record, but his common-rail, Cummins-powered dragster also became the first diesel vehicle to ever break into the 3.80s. Michael’s Spitzer chassis/HammerTech-prepped rail is powered by an S&S fueled common-rail Cummins that sports a Scheid Diesel aluminum block, a Freedom Racing Engines cylinder head, and a Stainless Diesel GT55.
Jared Jones
Overall 1/4-Mile ET and Trap Speed Records: 6.00 at 242 mph
With a pass that almost went unnoticed, Jared Jones, driver of the Scheid Diesel rail, shattered the iconic dragster’s previous quarter-mile record in 2023. Competing at a late-summer NHRA Division 3 race, Jared drove the rail to a 6.00-second pass at 242 mph. This is the quickest (and fastest) any diesel has ever covered 1,320 feet.
Johnny Gilbert
ODSS Pro Mod 1/8-Mile ET and Trap Speed Records: 4.14 at 177 mph
Since making the switch to Pro Mod in 2022, Johnny Gilbert and the Stainless Diesel team have wasted little time pushing their split window Corvette deep into 4-second territory. This past season, Johnny set a new ODSS eighth-mile record with a 4.14 at 177 mph. Expect this Wagler CX400-powered Pro Mod to be on the hunt for 3’s right off the trailer in 2024.
Derek Rose
Overall 4×4 Diesel 1/8-Mile ET and Trap Speed Records: 4.41 at 173 mph
When it comes to diesel-powered four-wheel drive trucks, Derek Rose is in a league of his own. Hailing from DNR Customs, and thanks to a fire-breathing Cummins from Freedom Racing Engines lurking under the front clip, his ’06 Dodge is the world’s quickest and fastest 4×4 diesel. Last September, the sub-4,000-pound Ram went 4.41 at 170 mph (on a 1.16-second 60-foot) in the eighth-mile. Derek then promptly backed it up with another 4.41-second blast—this one at 173 mph.
Nathannial DeLong
4×4 Powerstroke 1/8-Mile ET and Trap Speed Records: 4.62 at 164 mph
Bright and early in the race season, on April 21, Nathannial DeLong put up a 4.62-second eighth-mile at 164 mph behind the wheel of the Rudy’s Performance Parts’ 6.4L-powered Pro Mod Super Duty. The pass established a new overall record for 4×4 Powerstrokes.
Justin Zeigler
Pro Street 1/8-Mile ET and Trap Speed Records: 4.74 at 159 mph
From wire-to-wire, Zeigler Diesel Performance’s Justin Zeigler dominated the Pro Street field this year, winning every race on the ODSS calendar. He capped things off at the Wagler Fall Nationals by running a 4.74-second eighth-mile at 159 mph—resetting the class record for both ET and trap speed.
Dan Zelten
4×4 Duramax 1/8-Mile ET Record: 4.95
On July 28, Dan and his classic body GMC Sierra ran a 4.95-second eighth-mile at 149 mph, setting a new E.T. record for a 4×4 Duramax. The pass also established a new high mark for a 4R100 transmission, the BTS version in Dan’s GMC having proven itself time and again out on the track. Dan will be competing in the Pro Street category in 2024.
Tony Evans
4×4 6.0L Powerstroke 1/8-Mile ET Record: 5.12
Perhaps no other engine platform has made more headway in diesel drag racing in recent years than the 6.0L Powerstroke. On September 17, Tony Evans sent the KC Turbos’ Super Duty through the eighth-mile in 5.12 seconds (at 134 mph), a new ET record for all 6.0L Powerstrokes. That same weekend in Ennis, Texas, Tony capped off a 4-win season behind the wheel and took home the 2023 NHRDA Pro Street championship.
With compound turbos, nitrous, and more than 2,000 hp on tap, it goes without saying that Austin Denny’s Warren Diesel-backed Pro Street Super Duty pushes the limits of the 6.0L Powerstroke platform. In recent years, Austin has set (and then reset) several records in the 4×4 6.0L category, and 2023 was no different. On August 5, Austin positively shattered the eighth-mile trap speed record for a 4×4 6.0L with a 144.99 mph effort out of his 4,700-pound F-250. On the same pass, he coasted to a new 6.0L high mark in the quarter-mile as well: an 8.49-second ET.
Zack Pierce
4×4 7.3L Powerstroke 1/8-Mile ET and Trap Speed Records: 5.13 at 136 mph
First, Zack Pierce made a 7.3L competitive in 6.70 Index. Then he did the same thing in 5.90. For 2023, Zack upped his game once more—and boy did he come out swinging. By late July, the 5,000-pound, Pierce Diesel Performance Super Duty blasted down the eighth-mile in 5.13 seconds at 136 mph, setting new ET and trap speed records for a 4×4 7.3L Powerstroke. Unfortunately, a chain-reaction failure at the Rocky Top Diesel Shootout led to a fiery crash and total loss of the truck. However, Zack did return to the track two months later via 6.4L power. We can’t wait to see what he has in the works for 2024.
Gavin Huke
VE Cummins 1/8-Mile ET and Trap Speed Records: 7.14 at 95 mph
Last year, Gavin Huke broke new ground in VE Cummins performance. Beyond resetting the dyno record for the old-school, rotary-pumped platform with a 1,200 hp pull (760 hp on fuel), Gavin and his first-gen Dodge also laid claim to the quickest eighth-mile pass for a VE-pumped Cummins: a 7.14 at 95 mph. With a little nitrous sprinkled in, Gavin could easily have a 6.70 Index truck on his hands.
Ty Owens
Stick Shift 1/4-Mile ET and Trap Speed Records: 10.48 at 128 mph
You don’t see a lot of manual transmission diesels at the drag strip these days, but if you see this one, look for it to put a 10 on the board. Ty Owens’ ZF-6 equipped Duramax set a new quarter-mile record for manually shifted diesel trucks last year, running a 10.48 at 128 mph. Executing the boosted launch to perfection, Ty’s wild Silverado also cut an incredible 1.47-second 60-foot on the previous pass.
Craig Dickey & Wes Kusilek
World’s Most Powerful Duramax: 4,424 HP
It might not be a drag race application, but there is a race to 300 feet every time a pulling truck hooks to the sled. Reason enough to leave this right here… 4,424 Horsepower. By far, the most power ever turned out by a Duramax-based engine. The all-aluminum, Wagler-designed DX460 V-8 is a P-pumped mechanical monster packing Wimer fuel and air (via triple turbos). The late model, sled-pulling GMC it propels through the dirt is campaigned by Craig Dickey and the Kusilek family—and it competes in the Super Stock Diesel Truck class. When this monumental horsepower figure was produced (calculated from torque imposed on the driveshaft according to industrial-grade strain gauges), Cummins Killer III was in the midst of winning Diesels in Dark Corners, one of the highest-attended and most-anticipated truck pulls of the year.
