Ainsworth's header just four minutes into the game gave notice that the newly promoted QPR are not content to stay in the Coca-Cola Championship for just one season.
Since the curtain fell on the Nationwide, both clubs have had boardroom wrangles and financial issues to contend with over the summer.
Rotherham have had a take-over bid fail, while it emerged at Rangers' AGM last week that they faced a £2million tax bill plus a massive loss despite winning promotion last May.
But QPR's poverty has made their bond on the pitch even stronger - Ian Holloway's threadbare squad play with a 'we're all in this together' mentality.
And the side certainly took no notice of the matchday announcer's claims of "Whatever happens this season let's just be happy to be here" - they came to fight.
After being on the back foot as early as 30 seconds into the game when Chris Swailes forced Chris Day into a diving save, Ainsworth blasted a header into the top corner for the lead.
And Chelsea old-boy Paul Furlong almost doubled the lead for Holloway's men ten minutes into the game but had his fierce shot tipped over the bar.
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The goal allowed the visitors to press forward, and QPR spent long periods trapped in their own half as Rotherham dominated.
But QPR looked dangerous on the break, and 24 minutes into the match Furlong wrestled clear only to blast into the stands
Scott Minto almost gifted the home side a second goal nine minutes before the break when his backpass was misread by keeper Mike Pollitt, but rolled safely to the byline for a corner.
The searing heat sapped the players' strength after the break, and both sides were reduced to languid long-ball moves.
But Ainsworth, with most of his face covered with massive sideburns, looked the hungriest out of both sides, and was unlucky not to see his blistering runs down the right wing come to anything.
Chris Sedgwick came close to netting the winner in a rare moment of action late in the game, but Day was able to punt clear before the unmarked Rotherham man could shoot.
And with just four minutes left on the clock Gallen forced Pollitt into a desperate save when he headed Gino Padula's cross goalward.