ccrnnr9

Until now I have been a full-time roadie but after joining a team the president has really got me going on the idea of getting into cyclocross as a good training tool during the fall and winter and a way to switch things up. Needless to say I have been bitten by the bug. I am a college student so funds are low but I anticipate buying a cx bike by the end of the summer. I have been browsing threads here and done many searches but have not come up with a lot of info that pertains to my situation. For someone who is a competitive Cat5 roadie and may end up catting up by the end of the season, what kind of cx bike should I be looking at. I went to my LBS that I trust and he showed me the Trek XO1 (something like that) and he offered me a brand new one for just under 1200$. I have done research through manufacturer websites and it appears to me that many of the bikes are not equipped with higher end components (i.e. DA, ultegra, chorus, record, etc). Why is this? Also, why are '06 bikes still equipped with 9-spd components? Also, w/ regards to cx bikes, what is considered "race-ready" as far as components and weight goes? I know I try to shoot for at least a 105-ultegra mix bike for the road with weight under 18lbs. Any help you guys can give me would be wonderful. Being a college student I will probably shoot to spend at the bottom of the price range that is considered race ready. Thanks ahead of time!
~Nick