What is the significance of an 87/40 or 88/40 chassis? What do the terms mean and when or why is one used instead of the other?

[QUOTE=The Old Coyote;577505]What is the significance of an 87/40 or 88/40 chassis? What do the terms mean and when or why is one used instead of the other?[/QUOTE
I'm not an expert, but I thought the 87" or 88" referenced the Wheelbase.
And the 40" or 41" was from the Motorplate to Centerline of the rear axle.
Our old car was an 86"/39"
Wing Cars typically run a longer Wheelbase , 88"
As Compared to Non Wing Sprint Cars , 87/40

I built my tqs, non wing, an inch shorter than most, and raised the right rail to keep it out of the dirt, to lessen the chance of it becoming a ski,so if I were returning to sprints, I would prefer one with the shorter specs, I felt for better forward bite, JMHO