Box Car Racer was an American punk band formed in San Diego, California, in 2001. The band was a side-project of Blink-182 members Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker, with David Kennedy of Hazen Street completing the band's studio lineup. A bassist and friend of Barker, Anthony Celestino later joined the band as a bassist. DeLonge created the project to pursue darker ideas he felt unsuited to his work with Blink-182.
The group recorded the band's eponymous debut, Box Car Racer, in quick fashion with a more DIY spirit. MCA Records issued the band's lone release in May 2002, which peaked on the Billboard 200 at number 12. Singles "I Feel So" and "There Is" also charted on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, with the former peaking at number eight. The band embarked on their sole headlining tour across North America in the fall of 2002 with supporting act The Used. The project was largely the cause of ongoing tension between DeLonge and Blink-182 bandmate Mark Hoppus and influenced the band's following studio album, the more experimental Blink-182.