actually this opens up a whole new can of worms, diesel isnt applicable to octane rating, the rating for what is similar to anti-detonation ratings in diesel fuel is called cetane instead of octane and has nothing to do with its potential energy, the potential energy of relative fuels is their btu per pound factor, in relation to this diesel has a much higher energy density than gasoline, alcohol or nitro-methanol. of the 4 fuels i mentioned the odd comparison comes from diesels that make lots of torque and pretty good power, regular pump gas vehicles that make decent hp and torque then you have alcohol racing engines that make very good power and lastly nitro-methanol engines that top the charts with ridiculous numbers. the reason alcohol and nitro-methanol are so effective in internal combustion engines is a factor not of energy density (in which alcohol/nitro-methanol are far inferior to gasoline even, much less diesel) but of flame propagation rate, the fire burns much more quickly in the cylinder with alcohol/nitro and as such you can build an engine that will turn more rpm and can pack in more fuel for the same parcel of air giving you more power without having the fuel still be burning when the exhaust valve opens. this is why diesels may be made to make very good power numbers but wont turn the same ridiculous rpms needed for racing.