Originally posted by Eric Parham:
Andy, I really don't have a position on the removal of passenger door glass, but I will relay my own experiences. I have lost passenger side window glass twice, both times during hard right hand cornering when someone chose to use my door as an extra brake. During hard right-hand cornering, centrifugal(?) force pulls everything that's not nailed down towards the driver's side! First time I lost my door glass, my rotted cardboard doorcard also came loose, and I managed to continue despite having glass inside my driver's suit, inside my helmet, and under my butt.

After that, I discovered that I could legally update to a later year *plastic* door card (note that many don't have this option). I even added extra non-factory fasteners to make sure it stayed in place. Well, it did it's job, but the collapsing door had less volume than just before being hit, and much of the glass was pushed up through the top of the window opening and proceeded to fly across the car straight into my face. That time I had to pull in on the next lap to fish the glass out of my eyes.

The following race I showed up with racer's tape covering the top of the window opening, which was promptly pointed out by a competitor to possibly help aerodynamics -- against his (and my own) interpretation of the rules!

Well, my latest plan is to apply the thickest and stickiest window tinting that I can find in order to keep all of the glass together the next time it breaks. Technically, I suppose that could be considered ballasting, but I don't think anyone will care under the circumstances. Now the only trouble is that they don't even make that piece of glass anymore...

Just one guy's experience...
Thanks Eric. You've proven out my conjecture. Both of us need to put in the aluminum panel, and I'm going to tape the opening, if they want to protest that one I think they would lose on quite a few points: repair, safety, graphics, etc.

Does Eric's report mot suggest to anyone that door glass in the door is not a good idea? Rules creep or no rules creep, the practice is unsafe and should be changed. Period!
G. Robert Jones