Danica Patrick

It wasn’t a big surprise, but as always, Danica Patrick turned heads yesterday (Thursday) when she announced that she’s leaving the IndyCar series to focus full-time on NASCAR next year.

The move could possibly boost NASCAR, which has been struggling in recent years. Patrick, who doubles as a spokesmodel for GoDaddy.com, helped increase viewership of the 2009 Daytona 500 by 35-percent, according to Nielsen Television Research.

But her career as a driver has been mixed. Her best performance came in March at Sam’s Town 300 in Las Vegas, where she finished fourth. This year, in six races, she’s averaged 15th place.