Hey Woods,
I've been getting 110 octane race gas at my local Shell station. One of the local tracks sells another brand, Phillips 66 I think, that works great too. It costs about $5.50 per gallon, but I often mix it with pump premium for practice sessions. As Rich just said, the bike runs better and is more responsive with the race sauce. It seems to start easier too.
I hear you loud and clear about gearing. I made the mistake of going too low on my 02 CRF. I was shifting way too much. I'm keeping my 04 through the 05 season, so I'm interested to hear how any uprades work for you.