clutch artist

plural clutch artists

1. idiomaticA person who drives a motor vehicle, especially one equipped with a manual transmission, in a particularly skillful manner.

   If you can drive a manual transmission, you have to be a clutch artist to handle brake, accelerator and clutch on an uphill start.

   2006 January 25, Douglas E. Emerson, “On a personal note”, in douglasemerson.com, retrieved 03 Mar 2015

   2 more examples

   [O]n the highway or merely playing around a good dirt track, the engine exhibits loads of good low rmp torque and flexibility from scratch, but sink those tires in sand and you've got to be a real clutch artist.

   1969, Hot Rod, volume 22, page 103

   Donnie’s used to finessing race cars, he was the clutch artist on Larry Miersch’s Huntington Beach, California-based A/Fuel dragster for five years.

   2013 May 5, EEMDRG, "Twin Turbos, Twice the Fun!," Drag Racer (retrieved 3 March 2015)

2. idiomatichobbiesA player who performs especially well in crucial situations.

   Joe Johnson is still a fourth-quarter clutch artist.

   2015 January 10, “How Many NBA Playoff Spots Are Still Up for Grabs?”, in yackityyacksports.com, retrieved 03 Mar 2015

   3 more examples

   Roddy Osborne had set up the score with a 32-yard pass to "clutch artist" Don Watson.

   1956 October 28, Dave Campbell, “Trib classic: Baylor's 1st top-10 showdown”, in Waco Herald-Tribune, retrieved 03 Mar 2015

   Shaq has perhaps the next great point guard in the NBA in Cleveland Cavaliers clutch artist Kyrie Irving.

   2013 February 15, Josh Hill, “NBA Rising Stars Challenge 2013: Team Chuck Or Team Shaq?”, in Fansided, retrieved 03 Mar 2015

   The Chicago Blackhawks . . . will have a slew of decisions to make and contracts to sign. . . . [T]eam captain Jonathan Toews and designated clutch artist Patrick Kane need extensions.

   2014 June 3, Rob Winn, “Decisions Await The Blackhawks This Offseason”, in Chicagoist, retrieved 03 Mar 2015