BIGGEST sport story this weekend?

Newcastle taking on Liverpool? Nope. Sunderland at the Reebok Stadium to face the might of Bolton? You must be joking.

No the biggest sporting event this weekend is the Indianapolis Grand Prix.

It's not just any old Grand Prix, this one; it's the last to enjoy a commentary by Murray Walker.

It's a rare thing indeed when a television commentator eclipses most of the stars within the sport he describes but that's exactly what has happened to Murray Walker.

The son of a moderately successful professional motorcycle racer, Murray Walker has been commentating on television for an amazing 53 years.

His over exuberant descriptions, flabbergast reactions and ludicrous observations have carried along many a turgid Grand Prix spectacle.

He's been a full time Grand Prix commentator since 1978 (ironically two years after James Hunt - the partner he will be best remembered with - won his one and only world title).

It's going to be an emotional roller-coaster ride.

If he manages to keep going this weekend without choking it'll be a miracle. Millions of fans still remember the way he welled up when Damon Hill crossed the line to take the world title in Japan or his voice, trembling with emotion, when Nigel Mansell finally achieved the same thing in 1992.

Murray is so much more than just a commentator. He's a star in his own right. It's not going too far to suggest he's done more for Grand Prix motor racing than any single driver. His commentaries are heard as far away as Australia and New Zealand. And then there's the mistakes. He's made so many that his fans have coined the term Murray-isms for them and set up web sites to catalogue them all (a job that's the Internet equivalent to painting the Forth Bridge).

Who can forget such classics as: "Tambay's hopes, which were previously nil, are now absolutely zero" or "The car in front is absolutely unique, except for the one behind which is absolutely identical" or even "Alberto has dropped back up to fifth."

Murray reckons he won't be disappearing from our screens altogether. A satellite TV deal is in the offing and the BBC must be hoping it can sign him up to front some motor sport specials. He's also working on a book due to be published next year.

Whoever replaces him cannot hope to fill his shoes. Murray Walker is a one off. In fact he'd probably be rejected out of hand if he applied, with no experience, for a commentary position today (Too hysterical, too often wrong, too darn emotional). At the end of the day he's just another petrol head. And that's why we love him.