It’s been more than half a century since Mattel created its Hot Wheels franchise, and for one super-collector in Gaithersburg, Maryland the fascination with the toys started at a young age. By day, Bruce Pascal is a commercial real estate agent in the nation’s capital. By night, he’s a Hot Wheels hobbyist with more than 7,000 items in his collection. "To put it mildly, I’m obsessed with Hot Wheels," Pascal said. At 7 years old, he got his first Hot Wheel in 1968 — the same year they were created.