diff --git a/frontend/src/components/live/TyreDegPanel.tsx b/frontend/src/components/live/TyreDegPanel.tsx
index 77e8219..0f36737 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/live/TyreDegPanel.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/live/TyreDegPanel.tsx
@@ -53,9 +53,8 @@ function StintSparkline({ seconds }: { seconds: number[] }) {
 
 export function TyreDegPanel({ rows, sessionType, pinned }: Props) {
   const isRace = isRaceSession(sessionType)
-  // In practice/qualifying deg trends are secondary — collapse by default so
-  // the Timing Tower stays above the fold. Races keep it open.
-  const [collapsed, setCollapsed] = useState(!isRace)
+  const [collapsed, setCollapsed] = useState(true)
+  const [readerChose, setReaderChose] = useState(false)
   const [stints, setStints] = useState<StintHistoryMap>({})
 
   // One lap-history update per received snapshot (rows is rebuilt per snapshot).
@@ -75,6 +74,30 @@ export function TyreDegPanel({ rows, sessionType, pinned }: Props) {
     [rows, pinned],
   )
 
+  // One linear fit per driver per snapshot, shared by the readiness check and
+  // the rows below. degradationModel is O(laps) and this runs at feed rate.
+  const models = useMemo(() => {
+    const out: Record<string, ReturnType<typeof degradationModel>> = {}
+    for (const row of visible) {
+      out[row.RacingNumber] = degradationModel(stints[row.RacingNumber]?.samples ?? [])
+    }
+    return out
+  }, [visible, stints])
+
+  // Before any stint has enough clean laps to fit, every row reads "warming
+  // up" — a full-height panel of placeholders that pushed the Timing Tower off
+  // the fold for the first third of a race. Stay collapsed until there is
+  // something to say, then open. A reader who has toggled it keeps their choice.
+  const hasSignal = useMemo(
+    () => visible.some((row) => models[row.RacingNumber] != null),
+    [visible, models],
+  )
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (readerChose) return
+    setCollapsed(!(isRace && hasSignal))
+  }, [isRace, hasSignal, readerChose])
+
   if (visible.length === 0) return null
 
   return (
@@ -82,18 +105,25 @@ export function TyreDegPanel({ rows, sessionType, pinned }: Props) {
       <button
         type="button"
         className="sec-header tyredeg-toggle"
-        onClick={() => setCollapsed((prev) => !prev)}
+        onClick={() => {
+          setReaderChose(true)
+          setCollapsed((prev) => !prev)
+        }}
         aria-expanded={!collapsed}
       >
         <span className="sec-title">Tyre Deg &amp; Pit Window</span>
-        {isRace && <span className="sec-meta">rejoin assumes ~{PIT_LOSS_SECONDS}s pit loss</span>}
+        {!hasSignal ? (
+          <span className="sec-meta">collecting clean laps</span>
+        ) : (
+          isRace && <span className="sec-meta">rejoin assumes ~{PIT_LOSS_SECONDS}s pit loss</span>
+        )}
         <span className="tyredeg-chevron" aria-hidden="true">{collapsed ? '▸' : '▾'}</span>
       </button>
 
       {!collapsed && (
         <div className="tyredeg-rows">
           {visible.map((row) => {
-            const model = degradationModel(stints[row.RacingNumber]?.samples ?? [])
+            const model = models[row.RacingNumber]
             const rejoin = isRace ? estimatePitRejoin(rows, row.RacingNumber) : null
             const ageAnnotation = tyreAgeMeaning(row.Tyre?.Compound, row.Tyre?.Age)
             return (
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/LiveTimingPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/LiveTimingPage.tsx
index 098cfe7..b01b320 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/LiveTimingPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/LiveTimingPage.tsx
@@ -289,14 +289,16 @@ export function LiveTimingPage() {
                 session={snapshot.Session}
               />
             </div>
+            {/* Rail runs most-synthesized to most-raw: a reader arriving
+                mid-session wants "what did I miss" before the regulatory log. */}
             <div className="live-rc-col">
+              <EventRail events={events} driverInfo={snapshot.DriverInfo} />
               <TeamRadioTicker
                 captures={snapshot.TeamRadio ?? []}
                 driverInfo={snapshot.DriverInfo}
                 session={snapshot.Session}
               />
               <RaceControlFeed messages={snapshot.RCMessages ?? []} driverInfo={snapshot.DriverInfo} />
-              <EventRail events={events} driverInfo={snapshot.DriverInfo} />
             </div>
           </div>
         </>
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/app.css b/frontend/src/styles/app.css
index b1900f9..6889e55 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/app.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/app.css
@@ -89,6 +89,16 @@ a { color: inherit; text-decoration: none; }
 }
 .app-nav::-webkit-scrollbar { display: none; }
 
+/* The nav scrolls horizontally with its scrollbar hidden. Below the width
+   where the links stop fitting, fade the trailing edge so the cut-off item
+   reads as "scroll for more" instead of as a clipping bug. */
+@media (max-width: 560px) {
+  .app-nav {
+    -webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(to right, #000 calc(100% - 32px), transparent 100%);
+    mask-image: linear-gradient(to right, #000 calc(100% - 32px), transparent 100%);
+  }
+}
+
 .nav-logo {
   font-family: var(--f-mono);
   font-size: 15px;
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/TyreDegPanel.test.tsx b/frontend/src/test/TyreDegPanel.test.tsx
index 8ee8a6e..d7e0baf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/TyreDegPanel.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/test/TyreDegPanel.test.tsx
@@ -47,9 +47,20 @@ function snapshotRows(lap: number, lastLapTime: string): LiveTimingRow[] {
 }
 
 describe('TyreDegPanel', () => {
-  it('shows a warming-up placeholder until enough clean laps accumulate', () => {
+  it('stays collapsed while every stint is still warming up', () => {
     render(<TyreDegPanel rows={snapshotRows(3, '1:30.000')} sessionType="Race" pinned={[]} />)
     const panel = screen.getByTestId('tyredeg-panel')
+
+    // A panel of "warming up" placeholders carries no information and used to
+    // push the Timing Tower off the fold for the first third of a race.
+    expect(screen.queryAllByTestId('tyredeg-row')).toHaveLength(0)
+    expect(panel).toHaveTextContent('collecting clean laps')
+  })
+
+  it('shows a warming-up placeholder on each row once expanded', () => {
+    render(<TyreDegPanel rows={snapshotRows(3, '1:30.000')} sessionType="Race" pinned={[]} />)
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /tyre deg/i }))
+    const panel = screen.getByTestId('tyredeg-panel')
     expect(panel).toHaveTextContent('VER')
     expect(panel).toHaveTextContent('M +5')
     expect(panel).toHaveTextContent('fresh')
@@ -61,6 +72,7 @@ describe('TyreDegPanel', () => {
       makeRow('1', 1, 'VER', { NumberOfLaps: 10, LastLapTime: '1:30.000' }, { Compound: 'MEDIUM', Age: 12 }),
     ]
     render(<TyreDegPanel rows={rows} sessionType="Race" pinned={[]} />)
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /tyre deg/i }))
     expect(screen.getByText('mid-life')).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
@@ -92,16 +104,44 @@ describe('TyreDegPanel', () => {
     expect(panel).not.toHaveTextContent('~P')
   })
 
-  it('starts expanded during a race', () => {
-    render(<TyreDegPanel rows={snapshotRows(3, '1:30.000')} sessionType="Race" pinned={[]} />)
+  it('opens itself during a race as soon as a stint has signal', () => {
+    const { rerender } = render(
+      <TyreDegPanel rows={snapshotRows(1, '1:30.000')} sessionType="Race" pinned={[]} />,
+    )
+    expect(screen.queryAllByTestId('tyredeg-row')).toHaveLength(0)
+
+    for (let lap = 2; lap <= 6; lap++) {
+      const time = `1:30.${String((lap - 1) * 100).padStart(3, '0')}`
+      rerender(<TyreDegPanel rows={snapshotRows(lap, time)} sessionType="Race" pinned={[]} />)
+    }
+
     expect(screen.getAllByTestId('tyredeg-row')).toHaveLength(2)
   })
 
+  it('keeps the reader\'s own collapse choice when signal arrives', () => {
+    const { rerender } = render(
+      <TyreDegPanel rows={snapshotRows(1, '1:30.000')} sessionType="Race" pinned={[]} />,
+    )
+    // Reader opens it early, then closes it again — that decision must stick
+    // even once the panel would otherwise auto-open.
+    const toggle = screen.getByRole('button', { name: /tyre deg/i })
+    fireEvent.click(toggle)
+    fireEvent.click(toggle)
+
+    for (let lap = 2; lap <= 6; lap++) {
+      const time = `1:30.${String((lap - 1) * 100).padStart(3, '0')}`
+      rerender(<TyreDegPanel rows={snapshotRows(lap, time)} sessionType="Race" pinned={[]} />)
+    }
+
+    expect(screen.queryAllByTestId('tyredeg-row')).toHaveLength(0)
+  })
+
   it('limits rows to the top ten plus pinned drivers', () => {
     const rows = Array.from({ length: 15 }, (_, index) =>
       makeRow(String(index + 1), index + 1, `D${index + 1}`),
     )
     render(<TyreDegPanel rows={rows} sessionType="Race" pinned={['14']} />)
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /tyre deg/i }))
     expect(screen.getAllByTestId('tyredeg-row')).toHaveLength(11)
     expect(screen.getByText('D14')).toBeInTheDocument()
     expect(screen.queryByText('D12')).not.toBeInTheDocument()