Auto racing the volume of frequency of BMW/Rahal Letterman Racing employees at ALMS races has been growing since the Series got back underway after Le Mans this year, and the amount of speculation over their 2009 driver lineup is growing at an equally impressive rate. Rumors of Jamie Melo signing for RLR continue to grow, just as rumors that former factory pilot Joey Hand is in the running for a return the German marque are picking up.

As a fan, I’d pay good money to see the pairing of Melo and Hand take the fight to Porsche and Ferrari’s finest. Hand continues to be the best kept secret in sportscar racing—getting out from under Bill Auberlen’s shadow would surely assert the Californian would do wonders for his career. Auberlen would be a good choice for BMW NA to consider, but their desire to step up and pay Bill's hefty retainer is an altogether different matter.