(Not so) Final thoughts of the Air Races

Photographically speaking, this event was a challenge.  Stuff moves so fast.  Some of the stuff is relatively small.  Some of the stuff is relatively small and really fast.  Trying to get multiple stuff in a frame using only one eye ain't easy.  (I did try using both eyes, with my right eye in the view finder and my left eye looking for any possible trailing traffic.  Was a bit successful, but it is tiring.)
As far as equipment goes, everything worked.  The D90 and D7200 worked flawlessly.  I have attachments on each unit for an extra battery and never came close to running out of juice.  I started each day with fully changed batteries.
I shot straight RAW the entire time on both cameras.
I ran into a buffer issue once with the D90.  I was using the D90 for display photos when some action started close by and I started firing away.  It's odd when that happens as everything slows down.  For short bursts, no problems.  I never intended to use it for action sequences, so that part of the plan failed.  On the D7200, buffer was never an issue.
I did run into an interesting issue with the D7200.  The D7200 has two card slots.  I set up the second card slot for overrun.  I thought I'd have over 3k shots between both cards available.  Well, and I have to confirm this with Nikon, each card has a limit of 999 shots, regardless of size.  Apparently, I have lots of memory that can't be used.
As far as lenses go, the 18-200 and 70-300 (105-450) worked well.  I'd like to have further reach, but 450 was adequate.  (I don't like going for adequate.)  I took a few shots with the image size at 1.3 (decreased sensor size) with a reach to 600 mm but the images didn't seem to have the same quality - or I didn't handle the extra reach well.  All in all, I probably hit the shutter release 4500 times and had less than 20 out of focus images.  That's a pretty good hit rate.  I will say there were a few times a day, 3-5, where the auto focus was 'confused' by sky or clouds.
As far as framing pictures, clearly the more subjects in the frame the better.  A one airplane shot to me was usually not that interesting.  I didn't have the reach to make one airplane interesting.  When I tried to get up and tight it usually didn't work well.  When the subjects are moving that fast, unless you are perfect you need room in front and room in back.  I have more than a handful of shots, in focus, where parts of the airplane were missing.
I learned to not be afraid of daylight high ISO/high speed images.
I do plan on returning to the races next year.  I'd be OK going with same equipment, but....  I don't aim for adequate.  I'd look for bigger FF lens like Nikon's 200-500.  I'll be looking for Nikon sales.