[coreboot] External flashing PCI-e RAID card firmware

I am contemplating the purchase of an ASUS PIKE for my KGPE-D16 and I 
was wondering if anyone here knows if it is possible to externally 
re-flash them.

I notice a SOIC-8 chip on the front of the card and I imagine the 
firmware is there, does it entail simply hooking up a test clip and 
using flashrom as one would with a motherboard?

....20% chance the manufacturers utility performs some type of secret 
sauce that is required for it to function.