Auto Derby

The Auto Derby pinball machine, manufactured by Genco Manufacturing Company in June 1937, is a flipperless electro-mechanical (EM) game built around an auto-racing theme. It shares its underlying design with Genco's other 1937 release, Home Stretch, differing mainly in its art and cabinet theme.

Gameplay centers on ten spring bumpers scattered across the playfield, which the ball ricochets among after being launched from the shooter — since the game predates the flipper, all of the challenge comes from the shooter's aim and the bumpers' placement. A backbox light animation depicting racing autos in motion adds a dynamic visual element tied to the racing theme, a nice touch of showmanship for a pre-flipper machine.

The game's artwork and racing theme would have been immediately recognizable to operators and players of the day, tapping into the popularity of auto racing as a subject for coin-operated amusements. While little is documented about its specific designer, Auto Derby's shared lineage with Home Stretch and its animated backbox make it a notable example of Genco's mid-1930s output.