Cameron Dodson has never met a challenge he didn't like - or conquer.

Dodson has quickly moved up the auto-racing ladder, from quarter Midget, Midget, Mini-Sprint and winged Sprint cars.

He's achieved success at each level, recording his 300th career victory in April 2003 - and he's only 16.

Dodson, of Greenfield, Ind. competed at last Friday's Sprint feature at Lernerville, winning his heat and finishing eighth overall.

Dodson has been spending the summer making the rounds at as many tracks as he and his family possibly can.

They've already hit tracks in Michigan, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.

"You want to adapt to each track and go against drivers of different skills," said Dodson.

"The philosophy is you don't want to be a one-track jack," said Dodson's father Tom, who serves as team manager. "You could be proficient at one track, but you can learn a lot more from different tracks.

"Track championships mean nothing, that's our methodology," Tom Dodson added.

The younger Dodson sees himself driving in the Busch Racing Series by the age of 18 before going on to bigger things.

"I got interested in racing when I was 8 years old. This all started out as something to do on the weekends," said Dodson. "It's turned into a goal to go to NASCAR."

Dodson was born in Memphis, Tenn., but with his father's job with UPS, promotions moved the family to New York, then New Jersey.

"Then my dad retired and we moved to Indiana to race," said Dodson.

Dodson began running quarter Midgets at age 8 and picked up 13 Grand National Championships, 11 Winter National Championships and set 37 track records.

"Quarter Midgets taught me how to adapt to conditions for each race," said Dodson.

"Cameron got stuck on quarter midgets," said Tom Dodson "That's just what the big races were in New Jersey.

"In 1998, he won his first Grand National event, and you're not supposed to do that your first year," he added.

In 1999, Dodson received a call from NASCAR. They had heard about Dodson's exploits on the track. NASCAR flew him to Fontana, where he got to meet Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and others and spent the day learning from some of NASCAR's best.

At the age of 13, Dodson began racing 600cc Midget cars.

In 2002, he won 10 features and was the Pike County National Outlaw Champion. He followed that with 10 more feature wins and two track records in 2003.

"Again, you're not supposed to win a race in your first year and Cameron won 10," said the elder Dodson.

Dodson then moved to the NAMARS Kenyon Midget cars and was a feature winner in 2003. In the 2003-04 410 Winged Sprint car series, Dodson recorded nine top 5 finishes.

This is Dodson's first year in Sprint feature racing and he has already won six events.

"You've got to get over on your left side, that's the main key," said Dodson, who won his first Sprint event in his eighth try "You have to trust the car. Once you get that feeling, you'll start to do well.

"I love racing Sprint cars," said Dodson. "It's awesome."

This fall, Dodson will return to Greenfield High School, where he will be a sophomore. An honors student, Dodson has taken public speaking workshops and has been asked to teach one next year.

Dodson also seems to be on the go, but is well grounded, thanks to his support staff, which includes his mother, Cindy, who is the racing team's administrator, and Troy Hollingsworth, the crew chief.

"We're a family team," said Dodson. "We work together, sleep together, race together."

"Cameron took this seriously," said Tom Dodson. "He watched his diet and other things. While others were in the mud pits, he was watching videos.

"He sees what it takes and every step he takes, he backs up what he says. He goes to a track and does what it says," he added.

Lernerville Points Standings

Top 15 through July 23

Sprints

Ed Lynch Jr. 332, Rod George 303, Kevin Schaeffer 298, Chad Hill 285, Arnie Kent 263, Dan Shetler 226, Gary Rankin 224, Mike Shearer 224, Gary Kriess Jr. 198, Charlie Holben 198, Brent Matus 167, Davey Jones 151, Jerry Matus 147, Cory Good 133, Scott Bonnell 128

Late Models

John Flinner 313, Gary Lyle 279, Chuck Kennedy 263, Nick Jones 254, Doug Eck 240, Lynn Geisler 239, Bob Wearing Jr. 220, David Scott 198, Rob Kosecki 192, Tom Kitchen 189, Ken Schaltenbrand 188, Jeff Henry 157, Chris Schneider 149, Tom Tuite 123, Keith Zimmerman 121

Modifieds

Dave Murdick 334, Jim Weller Jr. 308, Kevin Bolland 307, Brian Swartzlander 299, Tommy Marshall 225, Gary Risch Jr. 217, Tom Winkle 214, Carl Murdick 209, J.R. McGinley 173, Lonny Riggs 155, Del Rougeux Jr. 136, George Hobaugh 134, Gary Risch Sr./Josh Skarzenski 122, John Durci 111, Mike Sutton 108

Pure Stocks

Joe Kelley 352, Rob Shook 320, Greg Beach 311, Butch Lambert 304, Paul Schreckengost 255, Dave Spangler 221, Mike Turner 217, Nick Reges 201, Scott Bochek 199, Jason Fosnaught 194, Doug Graham 177, Jeff Bastin 175, Bob Egley 174, Bob Lipinski 170, Mike Pegher Jr. 163