ESPN2 broadcasters on SPEED tonight?

[Desmond]

In the live chat on Wednesday, I wondered whether ESPN2 announcers would be part of tonight's coverage of Busch Series qualifying.  ESPN2 cannot cover the session because of daylong commitments to college basketball.

At the time, Cheryl doubted that they would be used due to contractual obligations.  However, those watching at the very beginning of today's Big Ten Conference tournament game (9 a.m. Pacific/noon Eastern) would have heard play-by-play announcer Dave O'Brien explain to viewers that he was filling in Brent Musburger and that Musburger was on his way to Vegas for the Sam's Town 300.  He left Chicago after yesterday's tripleheader.

So, theoretically, ESPN2 announcers could be part of the coverage.  Then again, Musburger may have simply left early to attend production meetings.

UPDATE: The SPEED Channel coverage of Busch practice has begun, and the regular Fox/SPEED announcers are in the booth and in the pits.  Steve Byrnes, Larry McReynolds, and Jeff Hammond are in the booth.  On Friday night, McReynolds, Mike Joy and Darrell Waltrip were in the booth.  The ESPN crew did not appear on-air for the first time on the race weekend until race day Saturday.