(CNN) Sheds are often viewed as occupying a special place in the male psyche.
A place to potter and fix and, dare it be said, a temporary respite from the stresses and strains of modern life.
But Briton Kevin Nicks has an altogether racier idea of sheds. So much so that over the weekend he set a world record for the fastest shed on sand -- it reached a speed of 78.965 miles per hour.
But he didn't just drive the shed -- he also designed and built it.
"What a wonderful experience -- it's nature's race track," the 52-year-old told CNN Tuesday of what it felt like to race across Pendine Sands in South Wales at the Straightliners speed record event.
"It's where Malcolm Campbell did 174.883 mph to set the land-speed record in 1927 and there I was 90 years later."
It took Nicks seven months to build the shed, which weighs over two tonnes, and then over four months to persuade the authorities to allow the vehicle on the road.
With its own number plate, Nicks says it's the world's only road-legal shed.
As part of the process of getting it on the road, former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who is Nicks' MP, wrote to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency on his behalf.
That process involved a six-hour inspection and Nicks having to master 299 pages of rules.
"It's not your average shed," he says matter of factly, estimating that the vehicle cost him just over $7,000 to build, not forgetting the countless hours of perspiration and perseverance.
"It's got full electric windows and remote central locking. I made it out of bits and pieces that were lying around."
Joking that the shed has all the "aerodynamic of a row of terrace houses," Nicks admits he's dabbled with mechanical things most of his life.
"At the age of 10 I could build an engine and I was welding a couple of years later."
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Nicks wasn't the only man or woman breaking records on sand over the weekend in South Wales in some magnificently different motorized machines.
Briton Tom Anable broke his own monowheel world record on sand, reaching a speed of 44.646mph after setting a mark of 43.486 mph in 2015.
Meanwhile, Helen Lincoln Smith -- another Briton -- is the fastest woman on sand. Riding a 600cc Honda, she set a new world record of 137.093 mph.
In all, there were 40 riders from all over the UK, with teams from France and Holland also competing.
Racers had to negotiate tricky sand conditions.
On Saturday, soft sand ensured difficult steering conditions. On Sunday, the sand was firmer, though competitors had to deal with cross winds.
All speeds were from a standing start and over a mile and were timed by the British Timing Association.
"It's a unique event that attracts unique people," Straightliners CEO Trevor Duckworth told CNN Sport.