The large diesels have enough cyliner volume that they will typical be able to reach the ignition tempature witout requiring a glow plug. I just went out and checked, my 230 cummings does not have glow plugs. It does have a compresion release that releases 4 of the cylinders and allows the engine to spin faster and build up compression in the remaining 2 cyls so they have a beter chance of igniting.
On some diesels, there is a glow plug and fuel injector in the intake that warms the incoming air when you first start. (basically buils a small fire in the intake)
If all else fails, eteher will get it done (atrisk of making the engine an "ether baby" dueto the wash down on the cyl walls making it start to lose compression.
Due to the heavy internals of the diesel(piston that has to withstand the compression force, high initial pressure fo the ignition, potentially high EGT) and the longer stroke to make the higher compression ratio, they just dont spin fast. There are some exceptions with the smaller diesels, they have a shorter throw, and can rev decent (anyone, espicially the ogre, whats the redline on a diesel VW rabbit?)
EGT is the killer on the diesel, if it gets close to the softening point of aluminum, your piston is going to look like Tilley's piston.
Quick info on tractor pulling, you hafto use the stock block. Thats about it. Whatever you can cram into that block, go fo it. Also, they use external girdles to help keep the head from coming of the top, and the crank from coming out of the bottom. Some are running 120+psi on staged turbos, and also use water injection as an intercooler. Very interesting to look under the hood, even more interesting to help build one.