Vale hoped to build on a midweek win against Cheltenham with another three points against high flying QPR.
The first real chance took a long time to arrive, but in the 23rd minute a long throw from the right by Sam Collins found its way through several players, to find Marc Bridge- Wilkinson whose bicycle kick was narrowly wide of Simon Royce's right post.
QPR struggled to break from Vale's constant pressure, but in the 35th minute a cross from Terrell Forbes found the head of Danny Shittu who put it way left of Mark Goodlad's goal.
Vale's pressure paid off, but not in the form of a goal, when a run by Billy Paynter forced Royce to rush out of goal and handle outside the area.
Referee Butler waved away protests and gave the QPR goalie a straight red in the 37th minute.
The Valiants seemed to have the upper hand going into the second half, but the pouring rain didn't make conditions easy for either team.
A through ball in the 57th minute to Stephen McPhee from Steve Rowland allowed the forward to get into the box and strike a shot that rolled just wide of replacement keeper Fraser Digby's right post.
Vale came close in the 84th minute when a free kick by Matt Carragher from the halfway line floated into the box where Liam Burns climbed above the defence to nod his header just wide of Rangers' right post.
QPR had the last chance just before the final whistle when Matthew Rose broke forward into the box and hammered a shot from 16 yards that Goodlad parried low to his right, but then collected quickly.
Valiants boss Brian Horton said: "I thought we did OK in the first half but after they went down to ten men we just didn't show enough guile. They sat in there and did very well, they defended brilliantly."