Neil Warnock`s side went into the encounter knowing victory would seal their return to the Barclays Premier League after a 15-year absence, although they can now do so with victory over Hull at Loftus Road on Easter Monday.
For Cardiff, a draw was not really good enough for their automatic promotion ambitions and they now sit one point behind second-placed Norwich with just three matches remaining.
A blistering start, with two goals inside the opening 10 minutes, set the pattern for a pulsating afternoon.
At the heart of it was enigmatic QPR skipper Adel Taarabt, who showed why he is the Championship`s player of the year with two great finishes, the second of which came in the 71st minute to cancel equally impressive first-half efforts from City`s star duo Jay Bothroyd and Craig Bellamy.
R`s striker Heidar Helguson had promotion within his grasp in the 89th minute, but he could only find the side-netting with the goal at his mercy.
Source: PA
Source: PA