Dexter Blackstock lit up Loftus Road with a goal fit to grace any stadium in the land.
The R's top-scorer bagged a late contender for goal of the season four minutes into the second half, as the R's returned to winning ways in style against promotion-hopefuls Preston North End.
Arriving on to Marc Nygaard's neat through ball, the striker took one touch to cushion the ball beyond Sean St Ledger, before letting fly with a stunning 25-yard half-volley that nestled into the roof of the net.
Victory was no less than the R's deserved, on a night when Adam Bolder and Danny Cullip epitomised the never-say-die spirit which has become a trademark of John Gregory's side in recent weeks.
Blackstock returned to the starting XI at the expense of Paul Furlong, while Steve Lomas slotted in alongside Adam Bolder in the heart of the R's midfield, with Inigo Idiakez sidelined with a hamstring strain.
England hot-shot David Nugent led the line for Preston, alongside former Bolton Wanderers front-man Michael Ricketts.
And it was the England man who squandered the visitors' first opportunity of the half inside the opening 60 seconds.
Nugent seemed to have an eternity as the ball dropped to him inside the 18-yard box, but instead of taking a touch to control, the international hit-man side-footed his right footed volley wide of Lee Camp's right hand post.
Play soon switched to the other end, with Marc Nygaard nodding on to Blackstock at the second attempt. The former Southampton striker wasn't about to pass up the effort to fire a shot on goal, volleying a yard over the bar from the edge of the six-yard box.
Buoyed by that opportunity, Lee Cook's ninth minute in-swinging was met by Gareth Ainsworth, whose deft header flew a yard wide.
There was a brief scare for the R's on 14 minutes, when Cook required lengthy treatment from the Rangers physiotherapy team. Thankfully, the winger was okay and while he was waiting to be waved back on by referee Mr Stroud, Blackstock met Michael Mancienne's up-and-under, only to head wide of the near post.
Neither the R's nor Preston failed to build on their positive start though, with misplaced passes in the final third proving both sides' downfall.
Nugent's class was clear for all to see and when he pick-pocketed Mancienne in the 26th minute, the ball eventually reached Simon Whaley, whose back post header was superbly palmed to safety by Camp.
Whaley was enjoying a productive evening from the left flank and when he cut inside yet again a minute later, Camp had to dive full stretch to deny the roaming midfielder.
But despite the visitors' decent spell, it was Rangers who should've taken the lead ten minutes before the break.
Ainsworth was again at the heart of the move, firing a shot on goal, which was deflected into the path of Nygaard.
The Danish front-man reacted first to the loose ball, only to get his effort horribly wrong from just inside the six-yard box, miscuing his volley high and wide.
Rangers were often guilty of over-playing in the final third, with first Ainsworth, and then Blackstock, passing up the opportunity to pull the trigger when in sight of goal.
Bolder's efforts could not be faulted, with the former Derby midfielder orchestrating proceedings superbly from the middle of the park as the half reached its conclusion.
Rangers were forced into a double change at the break.
Mancienne - who received a hefty boot in the face from Michael Ricketts midway through the first half - made way for Pat Kanyuka, while Rohan Ricketts replaced Cook, whose knee injury appeared to cut his evening short.
The double change breathed fresh life into the R's and when Nygaard flighted an inch-perfect ball into the path of Blackstock 30-yards from goal, the outcome was quite sensational.
Having taken one touch to cushion the ball, the R's top-scorer smashed an unstoppable 25-yard left footed volley into the roof of the net, beyond the despairing dive of Lonergan.
The celebrations told their own story, as the nervous tension around the ground was suddenly replaced by a crescendo of noise.
Undeterred, Preston responded superbly and when Danny Cullip was penalised for a foul on Nugent on the edge of the penalty box, Ricketts' curling free-kick flew inches wide, with Camp seemingly beaten all ends up.
Long range shooting was certainly the order of the day for the R's, with Nygaard firing an ambitious 30-yard strike a yard over on 68 minutes.
Paul Simpson's last throw of the dice appeared to be the introduction of Daniele Dichio 15 minutes from time, as the Lillywhites switched to a four-pronged front-line.
However, it was another Preston sub - Patrick Agyemang - who tested Camp a minute later, with the Derby loanee on hand to dive full stretch to tip the strikers' goal-bound glancing header to safety.
The R's almost grabbed a second in the second of five added minutes, but Lonergan was on hand to produce a stunning save after sub Jimmy Smith slid in Blackstock following a sensational Rangers counter-attack.
QPR: Camp, Bignot, Cullip, Bolder, Ainsworth, Lomas, Cook (Ricketts 46) (Smith 82), Stewart, Nygaard, Blackstock, Mancienne (Kanyuka 46).
Subs: Cole, Furlong.
Scorers: Blackstock 49
Bookings: Blackstock 50, Cullip 54, Bolder 73
Red Cards:
Preston North End: Lonergan, Alexander, Pugh, Sedgwick, Ricketts, Nugent, St Ledger, Chilvers, Whaley (Dichio 75), Hill (Wilson 77), Songo'o (Agyemang 61).
Subs: Henderson, Nowland.
Scorers:
Bookings: St Ledger 8
Red Cards:
Referee: K P Stroud
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