Editor's note: This is the second in a six-part series unveiling the News-Journal's NASCAR power rankings among full-time Cup Series drivers. Rookies Carson Hocevar, Zane Smith and Josh Berry were not included.

A Hendrick Motorsports driver? Already?

Yep. As well as a fan favorite, a driver in need of a 2023 mulligan and one set to take on his first Cup Series full-time schedule since 2020.

Welcome back to our 2024 Cup Series driver power rankings, as voted on by News-Journal sports columnist Ken Willis and sports editor Ryan Pritt. The list was compiled by the total voting average with ties broken by a panel of unbiased race fans.

The setup: If full-time, Cup drivers were given completely equal racecars and asked to run on a schedule consisting an even number of races on superspeedways, short tracks, road courses and intermediate tracks, which driver is the best?

Here are our picks for Nos. 25-21.

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25. Todd Gilliland

• Car: No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford

• Career full-time Cup Series seasons: 2

• Career Cup Series wins: 0

• Final 2023 points standing: 28th

• Ken’s ranking: 24

• Ryan’s ranking: 26

• Average: 25

Ken’s call: Front Row Motorsports teammate Michael McDowell has picked up the pace the past couple of seasons, so Gilliland should improve on his two-year record of just six top 10s in 72 starts at Front Row. Yes, he should, which doesn’t mean he will, but we’ll see.

Ryan’s reasoning: Last year's de-facto demotion, bringing in Zane Smith to run a part-time schedule in the 38, couldn't have been good for Gilliland's confidence or development. With Smith now out of the picture, does that equal improved returns for Gilliland, or has the relationship between driver and organization been damaged?

24. Alex Bowman

• Car: No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

• Career full-time Cup Series seasons: 8

• Career Cup Series wins: 7

• Final 2023 points standing: 20th (Missed three races due to injury)

• Ken’s ranking: 20

• Ryan’s ranking: 25

• Average: 22.5

Ken’s call: He missed races with a concussion in 2022 and a back injury last year. It’s easy to blame his statistical downturn on that, so we will — for now, anyway. Hendrick signed him to a three-year extension last year, so let’s assume the team is counting on a rebound.

Ryan's reasoning: Those four wins in 2021 seem like forever ago. He has but one victory in the Gen-7 and is on a 61-race skid. Bowman has just one finish of 11th or better in the points standings, a sixth-place showing in 2020. For many organizations, that could fly, but not with Hendrick Motorsports and not surrounded by three of the best drivers in the sport.

23. Chase Briscoe

• Car: No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

• Career full-time Cup Series seasons: 3

• Career Cup Series wins: 1

• Final 2023 points standing: 30th

• Ken’s ranking: 26

• Ryan’s ranking: 19

• Average: 22.5

Ken’s call: Briscoe won nine Xfinity races in 2020. Nine! Then he joined Stewart-Haas Racing in the Cup Series and, as mentioned elsewhere, his improvement likely depends on that team finding the lost formula.

Ryan’s reasoning: Man, 2022 was so good. A ninth-place points showing, a win and six top 10s in the final seven races. And then, the whole organization flatlined in 2023. But Briscoe is a good road course driver, was strong at superspeedways even last year and with Kevin Harvick's retirement and Aric Almirola's departure, is now the senior statesmen at Stewart-Haas Racing. This is my rebound pick, right here.

22. Corey LaJoie

• Car: No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

• Career full-time Cup Series seasons: 5

• Career Cup Series wins: 0

• Final 2023 points standing: 25th

• Ken’s ranking: 28

• Ryan’s ranking: 17

• Average: 22.5

Ken’s call: He enjoys a pretty good reputation for a guy who hasn’t done quite enough to earn a promotion to higher-rent equipment. If they were all plate races, he might not be Richard Petty, but he’d at least be Kyle Petty.

Ryan’s reasoning: Spire continues to pour more money and resources into its Cup Series program, buying another charter for next year. LaJoie is great at superspeedways, but he also showed some road-course speed toward the end of last year as well. It's always been a question of the car with him, but that problem may be resolving itself. Here's a sleeper playoff candidate next year in my book.

21. John Hunter Nemechek

• Car: No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota

• Career full-time Cup Series seasons: 1 (2020)

• Career Cup Series wins: 0

• Final 2023 points standing: N/A

• Ken's ranking: 22

• Ryan's ranking: 22

• Average: 22

Ken’s case: Looking for a sleeper pick for 2024? This might be the guy, assuming his new team (Legacy) fits in well with its new manufacturer (Toyota). John Hunter won seven Xfinity races last year and had 14 combined Trucks/Xfinity wins the past three years. And he’s much more outgoing than his close-to-the-vest dad, Front Row Joe.

Ryan's reasoning: Still one of the most fascinating stories not talked about enough: Willingly gave up a Cup seat to go back to the Truck Series, reinvent himself and come back with a stronger ride. Now the gamble pays off. It largely depends on Legacy Motor Club and its transition to Toyota, but the ability, and now the maturity, is here.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR power rankings 25-21: Which Hendrick driver has tumbled here?